The Mbombela police are currently investigating a case of assault laid against eHlanzeni leader Ngrai Ngwenya, who is now deputy convener of the newly formed Bohlabela-eHlanzeni ANC regional task team. The case was also opened against another RTT member, a female comrade.
Mpumalanga senior ANC member Peter Nyoni has rallied behind acting secretary Lindiwe Ntshalintshali, accusing those who attacked her last Wednesday of trying to divert her from doing what the ANC requires her to do.
Nyoni said the assault on the provincial secretary which occurred while the party was convening the disbanded Bohlabela and eHlanzeni special regional general council (RGC) meant to communicate the decision of the upper structure to disband the regions “is proof of the things we have always been saying that the ANC in our province has diverted from its traditional principle”.
“I mean how do you do that to your own secretary? I strongly feel that they must face disciplinary actions so that it serves as a lesson or deterrent to those who will also want to take violence and other mis-conduct to ANC gatherings,” Nyoni said when he spoke to the 013NEWS reporter over the phone Monday this week.
He said he personally welcomes the disbandment of the two regions.
“I welcome the disbandment because that is what we have been saying all along and that is what we went to court for. Unfortunately the court didn’t agree with us and finally the ANC decided to do the right thing,” he said.
Nyoni said the conduct of the comrades “was unacceptable”.
013NEWS has learnt that Ntshalintshali has approached the office of national secretary Ace Magashule to have disciplinary actions instituted against both Ngwenya and the female RTT member.
A PEC member said it was chairs being thrown at Ntshalintshali while she was on the podium at the Nutting House Lodge announcing the names of the people who should serve in the RTT that began everything.
Sources in the police say cops now believe Ngwenya and the female RTT member can assist investigators with regard to the chaos and the injuries caused to the acting secretary and two of their members, one of whom is Ntshalintshali’s bodyguard.
Police spokesman Brigadier Leonard Hlathi confirmed the assault case was opened at the Mbombela police station shortly after the incident by the state and thereafter another by Ntshalintshali. He said the cops themselves also laid an assault case following the injury of their member but said they do not disclose who these cases were opened against.
(edited by ZK)
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