Woman claims assault at meeting

NYANDENI Municipality speaker Nozipho Mathanda could find herself in hot water after she allegedly assaulted 61-year-old Nomaza Ngongo at an ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) annual meeting in Libode at the weekend.

Ngongo, who suffers from diabetes, claims to have suffered bruises to her chest after Mathanda allegedly assaulted her when she asked why the women’s league’s OR Tambo regional deputy chairwoman had been two hours late for the meeting.

She claims when she tried to open a case at the Libode police station on Saturday, she was told to return tomorrow with Mathanda.

Police spokeswoman Captain Dineo Koena said she would follow up on why a case had not been opened.

Ngongo said yesterday her “mistake” was to ask why the meeting had started two hours late.

“I didn’t know the ANC Women’s League now has two groups, because it turned out she [Mathanda] was meeting with other delegates at the municipal boardroom while we waited in the hall,” she said.

“After she told me I didn’t have a branch I belong to, she either punched or poked me in the chest before she was dragged away by her bodyguard.

“I didn’t expect what she did because I went there as an invited ANC Women’s League veteran.”

Ngongo said Mathanda had apologised later .

“I decided I will open a case so maybe she can tell the magistrate why she was apologising,” Ngongo said.

“But I was told [by police] to come back [tomorrow] with her.

“I’m really hurt by what she did. And now my chest is bruised.”

ANCWL provincial executive committee member Nomkhitha Mgugudo, who oversaw the meeting, said: “She [Mathanda] assaulted her [Ngongo] in full view of the people who were at the meeting. “What she did was not exemplary. “The branches that were there said they will write a letter to the region and the province to complain and demand that action be taken against Mathanda for what she did.

“And, as the PEC deployee, I will testify to what I saw.”

Mathanda declined to comment yesterday, while ANCWL provincial secretary Nolitha Ntobongwana said she was still waiting for a formal report on the alleged assault.