Five accused of assaulting ADM councillor in court

More than 100 people, most of them clad in ANC regalia, gathered outside the East London magistrate’s court as the five people accused of assaulting and dragging Amathole district councillor Nanziwe Rulashe from her office appeared. 

The five were arrested on Monday after a video emerged on social media showing them intimidating and assaulting Rulashe and dragging her across the floor.

The group outside court included members of the women’s activist group Masimanyane. 

They sang struggle and anti-gender-based violence songs, while a small group of police officers kept watch.

The five have been charged with common assault, intimidation and malicious damage to property.

The troubled municipality, which has been marred by controversy, was criticised by various political voices within the province for the altercation, which went viral.

Cogta MEC Xolile Nqatha released a statement this morning about the incident.

“The most disturbing part in this video is a woman leading the gender-based violence and femicide incident perpetrated against another woman.

“The department is utterly disgusted by this incident. The MEC has since written to the leadership of the municipality requesting them to provide him with a report indicating steps they are going to take to ensure all those involved are held accountable,” he said.

The provincial ANC also issued a statement saying, “This behaviour is unacceptable. Seeing a public representative being dragged out of her office by security officials on the alleged instructions from a municipal manager and HOD can never be tolerated.”

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