REPORTS alleging that acting, Mayor Fawzia Peer was rushed to hospital earlier today after drinking water from a water bottle believed to have been poisoned, have been refuted by the Municipality’s head of communications Mandla Nsele.
In a media release on Thursday afternoon, Nsele confirmed that Peer had complained about the taste of the water she had consumed.
As a precautionary measure she went to the doctor for a check-up.
Her water bottle was sent to the laboratory for testing.
“We will wait for the results from the laboratory as well as her doctor’s findings before making any conclusion on the matter,” he said.
The incident comes after a tension filled council meeting at the city hall on Thursday which erupted into chaos when city manager, Sipho Nzuza arrived for the meeting.
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Nzuza who has, according to media reports this week, turned state witness in the fraud and corruption case against Mayor Zandile Gumede, was surrounded by his security guards as councillors aligned to Gumede said they did not want him at the meeting.
Tweeting from the council chamber, DA caucus leader Nicole Graham said pushing and shoving ensued and the city manager’s guards had to step in and surround him.
As the council meeting got underway, Graham said city speaker, William Lekgoa Mapene announced that there was paraffin in someone’s water and told councillors not to drink the water.
Moments later Peer abruptly left the meeting covering her mouth.
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