DURBAN - The Alfred Duma Municipality councillor who was allegedly assaulted by a IFP local leader during the botched inaugural council last week wants SAPS provincial leadership to charge police members for not arresting the suspect.
Nkosinathi Mthethwa, sole National People’s Assembly councillor in the municipality was seen in a widely circulated video being attacked during the council meeting. The meeting which was supposed to elect new municipal leadership was in the local hall in Mnambithi last Monday.
Mthethwa named his attacker as a well-known IFP leader in Ladysmith and said he was still surprised why the suspect had not yet been arrested, adding that police were supposed to arrest him on the scene but appeared to have sided with his attacker.
Mthethwa said he had to push the suspect to defend himself. But police could not claim both were fighting as it was clear the suspect started hitting him first with the assistance of his bodyguards.
He said he suffered no injuries except the humiliation of being beaten in front of people.
National Peoples Assembly councillor Nkosinathi Mthethwa attacked. | VIDEO: Supplied pic.twitter.com/Ypzwgp4S59
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“I had a right to be there as a councillor but I’m not sure why the suspect was there when he was not a councillor. I need SAPS provincial management to investigate why police did not arrest the suspect on the scene and give me 48 hours to come and open a case as the law stipulates. It is surprising that even after opening a case on the same day it’s more than a week now but police have not charged the suspect,” said Mthethwa.
In the two-minute video which was apparently captured by other councillors a person purportedly to be Mthethwa is seen being attacked and pulled down by two others who are appeared to be wearing khakhi pants and navy coats. Other people are heard shouting “wenzeni (what has he done”).
Police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele said the matter was still under investigation but once done the docket would be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions for a decision.
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