‘ANC’ GANG attack own MP

BOSCHFONTEIN:: A Member of Parliament in the National Assembly is the latest victim of the political hooliganism that is taking place in Nkomazi. Shelly Makhubela who is also a member of the African National Congress Youth League’s National Executive Committee (ANCYL NEC) told Ziwaphi that she was assaulted by among others, a member of the ANC’s Regional Executive Committee (REC).

“They accused me of being against the agenda of certain senior comrades in the African National Congress,” said Makhubela.

Makhubela told Ziwaphi that she had been delivering a political input when an ANC REC member burst into the hall and asked her what she was doing in his branch. According to sources, the REC member does not qualify to be a member of the ANCYL because he is above the required age to be called a youth, and he is also not a member of the ANCYL.

While still puzzled by this act, Makhubela says that the REC member took a stack of documents that she had been reading from and threw them on her face, and thereafter started assaulted her and pulling her and dragging her clothes in full view of participants at the workshop. Two other youths, whose names are also known to Ziwaphi, also joined in the assault.

When they momentarily stopped assaulting her, she managed to flee the hall and tried to call the police, but was unsuccessful. She eventually managed to get the Tonga police through the assistance of the station commissioner of the Mbuzini police station, it however, turned out that they also could not go to the scene of the crime because they did not have any vehicles.

While she was trying to drive off from the premises, other members of the ANC, who included a leading member of the Nkomazi Local Municipality and a respected local businessman allegedly tried to block her route with their cars, but she maneuvered her way out, but they continued to hurl insults at her.

“They said they did not care even if I were a Member of Parliament. They boasted that they would deal with those who are going to youth league structures without their approval. They said that I must count my days because five years would soon be over and that they would ensure that I do not get elected into the NEC and that I would no longer be a Member of Parliament,” she said.

According to Makhubela, those who were hurling insults at her included two councilors of the Nkomazi Local Municipality and a leading businessman in Nkomazi. Nkomazi Local Municipality spokesperson, Cyril Repinga, however, refused to be drawn into the controversy.

“It is inappropriate to link the activities of individual councillors to the municipality unless they are on an official programme by the municipality,” he said.

Makhubela eventually opened a case of assault at Tonga Police Station, where she was told that the docket would be transferred to Schoemansdal Police Station as the incident took place in an area which was outside their jurisdiction. Indeed a day later, she called Schoemansdal Police Station she got confirmation that they that they had received the docket.

Spokesperson for the police in Schoemansdal, Constable Qwabe confirmed that a case has been opened CASE No 13/02/2010. She said that police have already taken statements from two suspects and that they are still looking for another suspect who resides in Nelspruit.

“Once we have concluded our investigations, we will send the case to the prosecutor for a decision because this is a political case,” she said.

Makhubela believes that her assailants do not want the young people in Nkomazi to be politically conscious because it would be difficult for them to manipulate them into doing things which are not in line with the principles of the ANC.

“They claim that I am against the agenda of certain comrades, but they can’t articulate what that agenda is. The comrades that they are referring to are known to me as leaders of the ANC and I am not aware of any other agenda except that of the ANC. What is at stake when we organize political education for the ANCYL?” she asked.

“They are not young people. The ANCYL is not for old people, but it is the school of politics for young people,” said Makhubela.

Makhubela’s case is the third known to Ziwaphi of a member of the ANCYL to have been assaulted in Nkomazi. In 2009 Provincial Executive Committee member, Hamzer Ngwenya, was assaulted by at least one of the people who are implicated in the assault of Makhubela.

On the same date that Makhubela was assaulted, another outspoken leader of the ANCYL, Regional Executive Committee member, Gary Nevari was also assaulted when he was addressing another gathering of the ANC Youth League in Nkomazi. He also reported the matter to the Tonga Police Station. The case number was given as 41/2/2010.

Police Spokesperson in Tonga, Mzwandile Nyambi confirmed during a telephone interview that a suspect was briefly arrested, but the local magistrate struck the case off the roll when the suspect who had been arrested could not be linked to the crime.

Nyambi said that the police investigation would continue the other suspects, who cannot be named, are still continuing.

Members of the community told Ziwaphi that political activity around Nkomazi is no longer possible unless you have the approval of a gang calling itself Isikhonyane (SiSwati name for locust plague). Their slogan is, “We Sweep Everything”.

The gang is led by a member of the Regional Executive Committee of the ANC, who travel around Quantum mini buses.

“They dress expensive, drink expensive and often come to meetings very drunk, and behave like a rented crowd in events by singing the names of certain ANC leaders that they have been told to support. They do not engage politically,” said a community member who chose to remain anonymous.

The REC member who leads the gang is a well-known former member of the National Party, and ANC activists in Nkomazi believe that this member was not debriefed after joining the ANC that he can no longer use the same tactics that they were taught in the National Party.

Last week the gang held a gathering at KaMhluswha Community Hall, where they planned to prevent the community of Block B in Nkomazi from participating in a community march against the non-provision of water services. The meeting was attended by leading members of the Regional Executive Committee of the ANC.

Regional Secretary of the ANC in Ehlanzeni, Pat Ngomane, told Ziwaphi in a telephone interview that he was unaware of people who had been assaulted in Nkomazi, but referred all the enquiries to Paul Mbenyane, the Spokesperson of the ANC in Mpumalanga Province. Mbenyane denied knowledge of a Skhonyane, but condemned the activities of the structure.

“The ANC cannot have such a structure and we distance ourselves from the activities of the individuals concerned,” he said, adding that the constitutional structures of the movement are well-known, and no member of the ANC can establish private structures.

SACP Provincial Chairperson, Jabulani Mathabe, told Ziwaphi that the activities that are taking place in Nkomazi are not unique to Mpumalanga and that they are a national phenomenon. He said that in any society where there s poverty, activities such as patronage and factionalism will always be predominant.

“We are sitting with a serious problem of poverty and unemployment and anyone who can provide jobs and tenders to young people would be able to manipulate them into doing things that are against the revolution.”
It’s very unfortunate that people would take advantage of challenges of poverty and unemployment among the youth to pursue their personal agendas. That is why the South African Communist Party has started a campaign against corruption,” Mathabe said.

Meanwhile, Ziwaphi has established that the General Secretary of the ANCYL, Vuyiswa Tulelo has Makhubela’s assault to the ANC Secretary General, Gwede Mantashe. Makhubela confirmed to Ziwaphi that she has submitted the report. Ziwaphi has also learnt that the ANCYL’s National Working Committee is expected to discuss the matter and pronounce itself afterwards.

ANCYL Provincial Secretary, Isaac Mahlangu, confirmed that they did receive a report on Makhubela’s assault, but that the manner in which they have received makes it impossible for the organisation to take any action at this stage.

“The matter of Sheila has been brought to our attention; however, the report has been copied to us. The main recipient is the Secretary General of the ANC, (Gwede Mantashe), so we cannot undermine those channels. Whatever direction shall be given from that level, we will comply with,” said Mahlangu.

Before becoming an MP last year, Makhubela was employed at Statistics SA, something that her assailants were clearly unhappy above. Some of them are dependent on government tenders and in the main are not only uneducated, but they also despise educated people.

“Ucabanga kutsi kufundza kutokusita? Lelive alifuni bantfu labafundzile,” Loosely translated, “You think that education will help you? This country does not require educated people,” said one of her assailants.

Hooligans assault ANC member of parliament

Victim - Shelly Makhubela

ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe wants answers

Paul Mbenyane distanced the ANC from the assaults

ANCYL Secretary General Vuyiswa Tulelo

ANCYL Provincial Treasurer Hamzer Ngwenya