Fists, bullets and handbags fly
POLICE fired rubber bullets in an attempt to restore order after a ANC Women’s League regional general council meeting in Ntabankulu exploded into a brawl yesterday, leaving at least one woman seriously injured.
Thousands of women were in attendance.
Police arrived at the meeting to find chairs, handbags and fists flying while some women yanked others by the hair, witnesses recounted.
Shots were allegedly fired by six bodyguards of Eastern Cape ANC Women’s League provincial secretary Nolitha Ntobongwana amid the chaos.
Police spokesman Captain Mlungisi Matidana said a woman comrade from Matatiele had been rushed to hospital with serious injuries but these were not caused by bullet wounds.
The fighting also moved outside and vehicles were damaged.
The chaos apparently erupted when two factions clashed over their choice for the next ANC provincial chairman – ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane or the SACP alliance partner’s leader, Phumulo Masualle.
Captain Matidana said the police had to use rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.
“Our members had to rush back to the station to fetch rubber bullets and reinforce their team because it was overwhelmingly chaotic inside that hall.”
Matidana said three cases of assault were opened at the Mount Ayliff police station and one woman was rushed to hospital with serious injuries.
Matidana said when police arrived at the meeting just after 1pm the brawl was already in progress. The drama took place at the Mzimvubu community hall in eMaXesibeni.
ANC provincial secretary Mlibo Qoboshiyane, reacting at dusk yesterday said: “The party regrets the incident and wishes to express its disappointment. The ANC is working to achieve unity and peaceful resolution of any dispute within its structures and any violence puts the name of the ANC in serious disrepute.
“The ANC will be appraised by the ANCWL of what happened and a full statement will be published. We are calling for calm and cool heads as we go for the ANC provincial conference. I can also confirm that a comrade from Matatiele was injured.”
The meeting was called for the election of an elective structure as only an appointing structure existed at the ANCWL in the Alfred Nzo region. The present appointing structure does not have executive powers. This comes as 88 branches in the Alfred Nzo region announced their readiness for the upcoming August 30 provincial elective conference. A national elective conference will take place from December 16 to 20.
Matidana said former Mzimvubu municipality mayor Khulukazi Phangwa had visited the station before the tension erupted to request police presence in case there was trouble. “As she was still explaining her fears, a call came in from someone at the venue reporting a fight.”
Matidana said police were expecting more complaints, both of assault and damage to property as vehicles had been damaged during the clashes. No gunshot wounds were reported.
Qoboshiyane said Ntobongwana told him the ANCWL had been operating with an interim structure since 2014 and some members were elected to the PEC of the league, creating vacancies at regional level. “The dispute emerged at that point,” said Qoboshiyane.
The Dispatch made nine attempts to get a comment from Ntobongwana. She answered five times, but each time the call was cut. —