a day ago
Assault charges against ward councillor provisionally withdrawn
Assault charges against Nelson Mandela Bay ward councillor Mpumelelo Majola have been provisionally withdrawn.
Majola's lawyer, Bond Nyoka, said his client had made multiple appearances at the Gqeberha magistrate's court without the case progressing due to outstanding matters.
Majola was arrested in Central by traffic officers in March.
In a video clip, the New Brighton councillor was seen fending off attempts to apprehend him and put him in the back of a traffic car, while bystanders watched.
Speaking on Thursday, Majola described the incident as an ugly experience that he would like to put behind him.
'If something of this nature can happen to a councillor, how much more to ordinary citizens.
'I'm saddened that people watched me in that situation.
'I was traumatised by that ordeal.
'People encouraged me to open a case, but I didn't want to.
'What happened to me was not OK,' he said.
Majola said that as a councillor, he is the face of the metro and cannot be seen having fights in public.
'I've forgiven them.
'I don't want to deal with this any further, and God will handle it from here,' Majola said.
In the video, two officers are seen struggling to get Majola to obey them as they try to handcuff him and put him inside the traffic vehicle.
The man who filmed the arrest is heard shouting: 'You are wrong, you are harming him, you are f***ing harming him.
'I'm videorising you.
'This is our ward councillor, you don't know this guy.
'You can't do this.
'You are wrong, the guy gave you everything you asked for, look at his arm, and now you're calling for backup.
'How can you hit someone who admitted to you and gave you his particulars? We can't let you do this,' the man shouts.
Another bystander is heard saying: 'Allow the officers to do their job.'
Meanwhile, Nyoka said he had raised objections because of outstanding documents.
'The case started in March, and on two occasions, the docket was missing or not brought to court.
'The provisional postponement doesn't mean the case won't be reinstated, but we're happy even though it could be brought back.
'Councillor Majola is going to the doctor tomorrow because what happened to his chest on that day.
'He is relieved as this was stressful, and the perception was that how can a councillor be accused of assault,' Nyoka said.
National Prosecuting Authority regional spokesperson Luxolo Tyali confirmed Majola's case had been withdrawn on Thursday.
'There was no docket, so it's a provisional withdrawal pending the availability of the docket,' Tyali said.
The Herald
