Mayor Baloyi ‘bloodied’ in fight with the ‘ANC’
DA tree-planting event in chaos
A tree-planting event in the Midvaal turned ugly when a fight broke out and landed mayor Bongani Baloyi behind bars with a bleeding lip and bruised ego.
The fight took place when a group of people, allegedly carrying ANC flags, stormed the event.
Baloyi told Sowetan that the municipality hosted a treeplanting event at Savana City on Saturday.
Prayers and welcoming ceremony preceded the event
At that time Baloyi was seated behind the podium.
Just as one of the officials explained the purpose of the meeting, a group of people, some in ANC T-shirts with the party’s flag, arrived.
“They started insulting me and the members of the mayoral committee saying we are being used by white people. They then intimidated a local journalist who was taking pictures at the event.
“Community members started speaking out against this group. There was an exchange of harsh words.
“That is when I decided to intervene,” Baloyi said.
“I took the microphone and started appealing for everyone to be calm. They moved towards the podium. One of them then came to me and tried to take the microphone. He hit my hand. When I pushed him back, he picked up a rock and hit me with it in the mouth.”
Pictures taken at the event show the crowd charging towards Baloyi with the ANC flag held in their hands.
Ultimately the event had to be stopped. Baloyi went to the De Deur police station to lay a charge of assault.
“While I was there, the same guy who assaulted arrived at the police station to also open a case. I am out on bail of R500,” Baloyi said.
The ANC in the region released a statement on Saturday night. It accused Baloyi of assaulting a member of the community.
“The executive mayor organised the event as a DA electioneering programme which turned sour when members of the community rejected the political nature of the event as the DA members wanted the event to be projected as a political delivery machinery of the ruling party in Midvaal...
“The ANC will keep track of this case and many similar incidents where members of the community are being abused by the Midvaal municipality through forced removals,” said ANC regional spokesperson Boniface Mazilazila.
Police spokesperson Lt-Col Lungelo Dlamini confirmed the incident and said Baloyi and the other man will appear in the Vereeniging Magistrate’s Court today to face charges of assault.