ANC man dies after pepper spray

A LIMPOPO man has died, apparently from inhaling pepper spray inside the venue where President Jacob Zuma presented the Nelson Mandela Memorial Lecture on Tuesday night.

Prior to Zuma’s presentation, a group of unruly ANC Youth League members started disruptions inside the hall in Shayandima, Thohoyandou, about the need for a change in the leadership of the ANC in Mangaung in December.

Zuma supporters retaliated and the league ’ s provincial chairman Rudzani Ludere and secretary Jacob Lebogo were assaulted. Police came in and sprayed with pepper. When Zuma began speaking, most people were coughing uncontrollably.

One of those allegedly affected by the smoke was Alpheus Moseri, 68, from Matatadibeng village near Denilton in Moutse West who died yesterday.

A source who wished to remain anonymous said Moseri suffered from asthma and the smoke had affected him badly.

“He travelled in a bus filled with people and he had been coughing all the way from the venue. When we were about to reach home we realised his condition was bad and had to summon an ambulance.”

Police spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi yesterday, however, said it was not known what caused Moseri’s death until postmortem results were released.

“What I can confirm is that Moseri collapsed in the bus. An ambulance was summoned where Moseri was resuscitated and he was in good spirits thereafter.”

He said things had “unfortunately ” changed yesterday morning and Moseri died at Tsimanyana Hospital.

ANC councillor Fanie Matlala said Moseri was a branch executive committee member of ward 6 in Ditholong. “We have lost a dedicated member of the organisation who served with distinction.”