ANC

The Tshwane Speaker of Council Murunwa Makwarela accompanied by Tshwane Mayor Randall Williams at Brooklyn Police Station. PHOTO: City of Tshwane

Tshwane ANC councillors face assault charges against Speaker

ANC councillors turned violent on the Speaker of Tshwane at the council meeting on Tuesday but they now face criminal charges.

ANC

The Tshwane Speaker of Council Murunwa Makwarela accompanied by Tshwane Mayor Randall Williams at Brooklyn Police Station. PHOTO: City of Tshwane

The Speaker of City of Tshwane council opened assault and intimidation cases against ANC councillors. This happened at the Brooklyn Police Station on Thursday.

TSHWANE ANC COUNCILLORS ACCUSED OF ASSAULTING SPEAKER

The multiparty government in Tshwane met at the Brooklyn Police Station on Wednesday to lay criminal charges against ANC councillors.

The coalition allies turned to the police after violence broke out at the continuation of the ordinary council meeting on Tuesday.

In video footage, ANC councillors are seen going after the Speaker of Council Murunwa Makwarela. The party was against a motion to pass a resolution to secure short-term credit loans for the City.

ALSO READ: WATCH: Tshwane ANC councillors assault Speaker at council meeting

Makwarela was accompanied by Tshwane Mayor Randall Williams and other coalition members to the police station.

“The charges filed include assault, intimidation and deprivation of movement,” said Tshwane mayoral spokesperson Sipho Stuurman.

ANC
There was a scuffle during the Tshwane council meeting where ANC councillors attacked the Speaker. PHOTO: Screenshot/Twitter/@tshwane_mayor

SPEAKER HIT REPEATEDLY ON THE BACK OF THE HEAD

Makwarela is seen in video footage talking to ANC councillors in the chambers. Each time he turned his back to walk away, the councillors are seen following his movements.

Despite numerous attempts to bring calm and order, the Speaker was violently assaulted by ANC councillors, said Stuurman.

“He was repeatedly hit in the head and back while he sought to leave the chamber.”

Sipho Stuurman

Makwarela did not suffer severe injuries, but he indicated that he is on pain medication following the physical assault.

“Such violent and barbaric behaviour by ANC councillors is not acceptable. There are established mechanisms in Council to register concerns. The relevant ANC councillors have been identified and will individually face criminal charges,” said Stuurman.

In a media statement released by the ANC today, the party did not speak of the assault. Instead, they listed issues caused by the DA-led coalition municipality.

These include the credit loan from ABSA, the Eskom electricity debt and the misappropriation of employees’ bonuses.

“We have argued and demonstrated over the last six years that the DA coalition cannot govern. Service delivery is not a priority for the DA coalition. Theirs is to loot resources and neglect townships in the city,” said the ANC caucus spokesperson Joel Masilela.

ALSO READ: City of Tshwane settles Eskom’s bill – for now