The Tshwane coalition government has laid criminal charges against ANC councillors for allegedly assaulting the Speaker of Council Murunwa Makwarela.
Makwarela said he was chased like a dog, beaten and suffered head injuries when ANC councillors attacked him during a council sitting on Tuesday.
Makwarela detail the scene he was subjected to after he opened a criminal case against the councillors at the Brooklyn police station on Thursday.
In a 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.
The confrontation on Tuesday allegedly started when ANC councillors refused to allow the council to adopt reports compiled by the municipal government.
One of the crucial reports that had to be adopted was to allow the City to secure loan access of R1 billion to cushion its liquidity problems.
Makwarela told News24 that from the moment the matter was placed before council, ANC councillors raised objections and refused to allow the meeting to go ahead.
Realising that the sitting may not continue with the business of the day, Makwarela decided to adjourn the meeting and for it to be continued online in a hybrid sitting.
After he made the decision, Makwarela said he was assaulted by the ANC councillors.
“I was injured and chased like a dog to my office. My jacket was pulled. They were trying to hold me hostage, but I escaped. They chased me and managed to chase me out of the building.
“My vehicle was the one that protected me. They then followed me to my office and banged on my doors. It was a group of 10 to 15 people,” Makwarela said.
“The charges filed include assault, intimidation and deprivation of movement,” said Stuurman, the Tshwane mayoral spokesperson.
Source: Jacaranda FM, News24, Eyewitness News, The South African, image from Twitter: @tshwane_mayor
