The ruling ANC party has called for peace in Bothaville, rocked by politically motivated violence two weeks ago, while it also called for the law to take its course against those behind the disturbances in the normally quiet town. Four houses belonging to ANC councillors were burned down and property estimated at hundreds of thousands of rands destroyed during violence in Kgotsong township, the main residential area in the small farming town that is located about 220km north of Bloemfontein. ANC provincial spokesperson Thabo Meeko urged both members of the ruling party and those of the opposition EFF party to desist from acts of provocation and aggression against each other. Meeko also urged EFF leaders in the town not to manipulate genuine concerns of residents to drive their party political agenda. He was referring to allegations that the Kgotsong violence began as an attempt by EFF activists working with some residents there to confront the municipality over poor service delivery and that upon failing to make headway they then resorted to violence. “We are urging people including our members to calm down and let police do their job,” Meeko said. He added: “And also members of the EFF party must stop lying to and misleading the community because we all need stability in the area.” Meeko spoke as 16 people, mainly EFF activists, arrested by the police last week over the violence appeared in court this week on charges of public violence, malicious damage to property, arson and attempted murder. Out of the batch, two suspects, Moses Malebatso, 41, who is an EFF coordinator in Bothaville, and Phaki Mafojane, 36, who is a member of the opposition’s regional executive committee there, were released on R5 000 bail each. Former Bothaville mayor and now prominent EFF member Godfrey Tsoai, 51, was also on Monday granted bail of R5 000, while another two members of the opposition were on the same day released after paying bail of R1 000 each. The rest of the 11 suspects who are believed to be mainly members of the EFF were released on Tuesday on bail of R500 each. Meanwhile the police also arrested on Monday this week 13 more suspects in connection with the violence and among them the executive mayor of the town, Theko Mogoje, 63. Mogoje was released on free bail the same day and ordered to return to court on November 10. His co-accused, who are suspected to be members of the ANC party because they were wearing the party’s regalia when they were arrested, were asked to pay bail of R1 000 each and ordered to return to court also on November 10. While police provincial spokesperson Captain Stephen Thakeng would not be drawn to discuss charges against the suspects, The Weekly understands charges against the suspected ANC members are apparently because they took the law into their own hands when they retaliated after being attacked by suspected EFF supporters
Posted on: Sat, 18 Oct 2014 09:55:06 +0000
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