By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Image Supplied.
Amathole District Municipality Mayor Nceba Ndikinda has asked for an investigation into allegations that a councillor was assaulted at municipal offices in East London on Monday.
“As the leadership of the Amathole District Municipality(ADM) we are deeply disturbed by the humilating incidence which took place at our Head Office where security officials dragged a member of the Mayoral Committee, Councilor Nanziwe Rulashe in an inhumane and barbaric manner,said the municipality in a statement.”
“The municipality has taken a step to suspend the Head of Security of the District pending the finalization of the investigation. We have also requested the security company that provides services to the municipality to act against the security officials that were responsible for the unfortunate act of violence and to provide us with a report regarding remedial actions taken.”
“We regret the incident and promise the people of Amathole that we will leave no stones unturned to ensure that justice is served accordingly.”
Videos are circulating on social media of mayco member Rulashe being dragged from her office.
Rulashe said the alleged assault stemmed from a disagreement with a municipal official during a strategic meeting.
“I was in my office when a woman came and said she was head of security and had been instructed to remove me from the building because I was disrupting a meeting.”
The woman was accompanied by armed men who dragged her from her office, injuring her in the process, she alleged.
It is alleged that the instruction to have Rulashe removed was issued by municipal manager Thembekile Mnyimba.
@Amathole_DM councillor Nanziwe Rulashe in the Eastern Cape, was assaulted and dragged, kicking and screaming, from her office by armed men. #JusticeforNanziweRhulashe pic.twitter.com/xOH1csxQFE— Sisonke Mlamla (@SISONKE_MD) January 25, 2022
Eastern Cape police spokesperson Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana said Cambridge police were investigating a case of assault, malicious damage to property and intimidation, and added that five people, aged 23 to 43, were arrested on Monday.
They were released on R500 bail each and are expected to appear in the East London Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
“The circumstances surrounding the incident are not clear at this stage. The investigation continues,” Kinana added.
ANC regional secretary Thembalethu Ntutu called on the mayor to issue a report to the ANC.
The ANC in the Eastern Cape strongly condemned the “abhorrent and vicious attack”.
“This behaviour is unacceptable. Seeing a public representative being dragged out of office by security officials on the alleged instructions from a municipal manager and [head of department] can never be tolerated,” said provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi.
“We call for decisive action against all those involved in this abhorrent display of gender-based violence and [for them to] be brought to book. We further call on [the] MEC of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) to urgently investigate this despicable and distasteful act.”
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, has condemned the physical abuse of an Amathole District Municipality councillor.
In a statement, Dlamini Zuma said: “The images coming out of the video we have seen of the incident are a cause for serious concern. That this incident took place in the offices of government puts serious doubt in society about our commitment to end the scourge of gender-based violence.”
The Minister has since held a series of engagements with the leadership of the District Municipality and the Eastern Cape provincial leadership who have also condemned the incident. She said the incident was inconsistent with the ideals of government’s non-sexist, democratic society and a violation of the institution’s own operating procedures.
The Minister also called for law enforcement agencies, the municipality, and the province to investigate this incident so that those involved in this act of assault can be brought to book and that similar incidents are not repeated.