THE situation is getting tense in Harding as some ANC councillors are being assaulted during the campaigns, ahead of local government elections in August.
On Monday last week, Councillor Soki Vethe (52) of Ward 6, Umuziwabantu Municipality was beaten up by other ANC members during the door-to-door campaign at Langeni area Ward 4.
The councillor was badly beaten on his upper body with a sjambok.
Talking to South Coast Herald, injured Cllr Vethe, a member of the Local Election Team (LET), said he received an sms from Mzwandile Nyathi, LET coordinator, informing him of the campaign.
When he arrived at the area he noticed that there were two groups standing there, some in ANC T-shirts and the other group not in green and gold.
“I was confused but I went on and joined the group with ANC T-shirts,” he said. “During that time Mr Nyathi was talking to the other group. I noticed that there was an argument but I had to wait.”
He said during that time he thought it was one of the ANC arguments that happen at some activities.
“I only took notice when some members grabbed me and started to beat me up. I know them and I did open a case. I’m still shocked that they have not been arrested.”
Mzwandile Nyathi confirmed that he did inform Mr Vethe of a door-to-door campaign and that he spoke to the two groups before he left, expecting them to proceed with the programme of the day.
“I was shocked when I received a call informing me that the councillor was being assaulted,” said Mr Nyathi
The weekend before the incident, Lower South Coast ANCYL held a cadre meeting at Harding town hall, which was disrupted. Nkazimulo Mavundla, ANCYL spokesman, said PEC member Mandla Shange was deployed to address the meeting.
Last Saturday we had to call off the meeting to prevent members from getting hurt. Now this worries me, since this thing is not coming to an end, – Nkazimulo Mavundla
One source told the Herald some members vowed that there wouldn’t be any ANC programme in Harding if the listing queries were not resolved by the REC.
Despite Cllr Vethe having a case number, police spokesman, Captain Gerald Mfeka, denied having knowledge of the case.
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