Community member allegedly shot in protest against Mpumalanga mayor

EFF councillors have alleged that a protest on Monday against the mayor of the JS Moroka municipality in Mpumalanga, Thulare Madileng, ended with one of the protesting community members being shot and rushed to hospital.

The EFF’s Mpumalanga leader Collen Sedibe told The Citizen that he understood the injury was to the protester’s hand and that a member of the mayor’s security detail allegedly pulled the trigger after the community member gained access to the premises through the municipal offices’ gate.

Sedibe accused the municipality of having hired “bouncers”.

The mayor normally has bodyguards with him, particularly after a prayer meeting he was attending last year in November in the council chambers descended into chaos when panga-carrying men and women stormed into the room.

Madileng said he feared for his life as his security detail whisked him away from an irate mob. Two men were arrested and charged.

Madileng said at the time: “I live in fear of my life but I always believe that God is great. I was saved by my protectors and the police also arrived later. I will continue working as a mayor and deliver services to our people. I have to upgrade my security and that of my family.”

He said the crowd had used their pangas to puncture the tyres of his official vehicle and those on the bakkie of one of his protectors.

Madileng was deployed by the ANC and appointed mayor in September 2017. His administration has been dogged by claims of mismanagement, with a war of words having erupted between municipal manager Thambi Kubheka and the mayor over the manager accusing him of corruption.

The Citizen was unable to obtain comment from the mayor over the latest incident and will update this story.

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