Five persons were arrested and charged for public violence after the office of the Speaker at Thembelihle municipality was set alight on January 25.
FIVE persons were arrested and charged for public violence after the office of the Speaker at Thembelihle municipality was set alight on January 25.
The accused were released on bail of R500 each.
Captain Olebogeng Tawana said they appeared before court on January 27.
According to community members a protest took place on the N12 near Hopetown on the same day, as they are unhappy with the “imposed” ANC councillors who were elected as mayor, speaker and council whip.
Community members stated that the MEC for the Department of Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs had visited Hopetown on January 24 but had not returned later in the week as promised.
“A decision was then taken to shut down the town.”
According to council minutes the municipality was “taken hostage” by a group of members of the EFF and Siyathemba Community Movement (SCM) on December 8 2021.
The two EFF councillors consisting of the mayor Leonard Mckenna and council whip Elzerone Stenekamp and Siyathemba Community Movement councillor Danny Jonas who was the Speaker of the municipality were consequently removed from their positions.
An urgent interdict was obtained to prevent them from venturing onto the premises.
Jonas stated that they had also applied for urgent interdicts against the ANC councillors – the mayor Brenda Mpamba, speaker Victor Dollopi and council whip Tommy Yola.
“They were elected at an illegal council meeting. We are full time councillors who have been denied access into the municipality. The community are trying to protect the assets of the municipality.
“We tried to calm down the community but tempers are running high.”
He added that they had called a meeting with the SAPS public order police, the judiciary, the community workers and the Independent Electoral Commission to give clarity on the newly elected leaders on Friday morning.
