Former mayor sets the record straight on ‘assault’ trending video
Like any other concerned former political head in a certain municipality, the past Executive Mayor of Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM), Gift Moerane, tried to intervene a broiling fight between taxi operators and the municipality roads workers who had an altercation on Monday.
SEDIBENG – Little did he know that his godliness, will lend him in a mist of hot claps and unending insults.
This is after, the 11th ex-mayor of the embattled government institution tried to break a raging war between taxi drivers and roads workforce over road maintenance signs on Wessels Mota Street, where workers were patching potholes.
As if that was never enough, the same staffers he tried to protect like God protected Noah and his sons, turned against him and hanged him in shame.
Now, the dehumanized Reverend is left reeling in disgrace as he has to live with a trending video on social media.
The 19 seconds video, depicts road workers in overalls cursing the man of God and shouting how he failed to supply the same cones he is asking about during his time as a mayor.
“You were a mayor and left us like this [without working tools] and come back demanding us the things your never supplied,” said one fired up lady during the sped of emotions.
Speaking to Sedibeng Ster, Moerane said he was stopping a fight when he was attacked.
“I was driving to Zone 12, when I bumped into working road workers of Emfuleni having an altercation with a taxi driver who went to his vehicle and fetched a Knobkerrie to attack them.
“The taxi operator was consulting on why they worked without putting up signs. I went out of the car and advised them to listen to the driver. Before I know it, one lady asked where should they get those signs to put up,” he said.
Moerane said after the verbal attack, he heard claps from the same lady.
“I was attacked on the spot when I asked why they didn’t put cones since they claimed they didn’t have maintenance signs. When I tried to stop them, they recorded me so I could be seen as if I was assaulting them,” he said.
Moerane said he was humiliated, but forgives his wrongdoers.
“I forgave them. People are going through a lot and always take it out on others. I’m just disappointed that I was portrayed as a violent person when I was filmed trying to stop and further engage those employees,” he added.
Ster team located the woman on the video who was advices by South African Municipality Workers Union (SAMWU) leaders not to talk to the media.
SAMWU also refused to comment on the matter, claiming they dealing with it internally.
ELM spokesman Makhosonke Sangweni said “It’s not good for a public institution, to taints the image of the Municipality as they are always better ways to engage with customers, including the former mayor”.
