Mayor smuggled out of Alicedale

THE mayor of the embattled Makana Municipality was forced to sneak out of Alicedale after angry residents called for his removal.

Mayor Zamuxolo Peter had to be driven out of the small town by a large contingent of armed police officers.

He was interrupted by a group of more than 200 residents while addressing a representative committee meeting at the Bushman Sands Conference Centre on Wednesday afternoon. Resident Eli Konstant said Peter and members of his council were in town to address the committee on non-delivery of services and financial management of the municipality, which is now under administration.

“Word got around that Peter was in town [and] moments later residents gathered outside the conference centre.

“They were furious, saying this meeting should have been held in Grahamstown, because he was not welcome in Alicedale,” Konstant said.

Service delivery in the area was reported to be at an alltime low with residents battling sanitation, infrastructure and housing problems.

Police, seeing that they were out-numbered by the crowd, called for back-up from members of the Public Order Police (POP) in Port Elizabeth.

A police van was used to blockade the door of the conference centre to prevent residents from moving in and physically removing the mayor.

Konstant said POP arrived an hour later and opened fire and threw stun grenades, with many people injured by rubber bullets while fleeing the scene.

Police spokesman Lieutenant Luvuyo Mjekula confirmed the incident, saying police were forced to act when residents threatened to stop the delegates from leaving town.

“The mayor and other delegates were escorted out of town after residents dispersed. No arrests were made,” Mjekula said.

Calls to Peter’s cellphone were diverted to voicemail.