Mandela grandson shot in protest over councillor

THE grandson of former president Nelson Mandela was among five people shot by police in several violent protests that have broken out near the statesman’s home in Qunu since Friday.

The protests have been over the appointment of an ANC ward councillor.

Four of those hit by rubber bullets in clashes with police yesterday were rushed to hospital.

The extent of their injuries were not immediately clear.

Ndaba Mandela, who was hit three times by rubber bullets on Monday, said yesterday he had minor bruises to his thighs.

“I was just standing next to the road after asking protesters what was happening.

“I was busy taking pictures when police fired rubber bullets,” Mandela said.

He had been on his way to Mthatha when he came across the protesters not far from his grandfather’s Qunu home along the N2.

Mandela said people were unhappy that provincial ANC leaders had not showed up to address their grievances.

“All these people want is to be addressed by the ANC leadership.

“It could take less than an hour to defuse the situation,” he said.

“The residents are saying the ANC had imposed a councillor not in good standing.”

The protest started on Friday when an angry mob clashed with police, in what was believed to be the first post-election protest in the Eastern Cape.

Police fired rubber bullets yesterday to disperse the crowd, which had blocked the busy N2 between Mthatha and Qunu. A team including ANC MP Mandla Mandela, whose constituency is Qunu, AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo’s wife, Noluntu Dalindyebo, Chief Mfundo Mtirara and his younger brother, Mfundiso, went to the scene to try and intervene and defuse the situation yesterday.

Mandla Mandela said he hoped the matter would be resolved amicably by the ANC.

It was an internal ANC branch issue and the party needed to look at the processes followed leading to the election of the ward candidate, he said.

On Ndaba’s shooting, the ANC MP said: “As his older brother, I would like to understand his involvement.”

Phikolomzi Habe, one of the youths leading the protest, said the ANC regional leadership had not responded to calls to remove a councillor candidate who had been imposed on the community by the party. “The police shot us while we were not protesting, but sitting on the road,” Habe said.

Protesters want the ANC to remove the party’s Ward 19 candidate, Unathi Daniso.

ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane said: “They should have wanted the ANC in a meeting and not to draw the attention of the ANC by closing the road and protesting.”

By late yesterday, the protesters had called off their action and the N2 was cleared.

They should have wanted the ANC in a meeting and not to draw attention by closing the road and protesting – ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane