Mogalakwena local municipality mayor dodges tragedy again

It never rains but it pours for Mogalakwena local municipality mayor Andrina Matsemela.

After being brutally assaulted by thugs last week, the mayor was involved in a car accident yesterday, narrowly escaping death.

And as if that was not enough to deal with, a municipal truck was torched just hours after the car accident.

Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe confirmed this, but could not provide details, saying the matter was still under investigation.

The municipality also confirmed the accident, saying the mayor was receiving medical attention.

“She sustained minor injuries,” municipality spokesperson Malesela Selokela said yesterday.

The mayor was being driven by her official driver and were both recovering, he added.

Last week, Matsemela was attacked in the municipal building. Several other people also sustained serious injuries during a scuffle between two factions over deployments.

During the incident, the mayor was whisked away by members of her party.

She later opened a case of assault at the Mokopane police station. The police confirmed this.

The mayor yesterday received information that one of the municipality’s trucks had been set alight.

Selokela said the truck had been taken to a mechanic at a private dealer in Mokopane when it was engulfed in flames.

“Police said they had leads and were likely to effect arrests soon.

“Although we don’t have any concrete information about the perpetrators, that the torching of the truck is connected to the protracted political hoo-ha within the institution cannot be ruled out,” he added.

– alexm@citizen.co.za

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