Coligny – The Democratic Alliance (DA) was blocked from pressing criminal charges against North West premier Supra Mahumapelo at the Coligny police station on Friday, North West leader Joe McGluwa said.
“The acting provincial police commissioner, Patrick Asaneng, was personally present to decline to accept the DA’s charges against the premier,” he said.
“It is nothing short of unconstitutional for the SAPS [SA Police Service] to reject a criminal complaint, on flimsy grounds that our statement wasn’t in the form of a sworn affidavit, and refusing to take a statement from us.”
McGluwa went to the police station to lay charge of inciting violence following Mahumapelo’s statement at the funeral service of Matlhomola Jonas Mosweu, 16, who was allegedly killed by two farmers Pieter Doorewaard, 26, and Phillip Schutte, 34, accusing him of stealing a sunflower.
The two claimed they put Mosweu at the back of a van intending to take him to the police but, he jumped out of the moving van and injured his neck.
DA North West leader Joe McGluwa says North West premier Supra Mahumapelo incited violence in Coligny. Photo: Stringer/ANA
An eyewitness told the police Mosweu was thrown out of a moving van. He died on his way to hospital.
The two accused have been granted R5000 bail each and their case postponed to June 26.
His death triggered a violent mass protest that left a trail of destruction, in total six houses were burnt, three trucks torched and several shops looted and damaged.
At the funeral Mahumapelo told mourners that white people came empty handed to South Africa, none of them came with sunflowers, cows here or land.
“Instead of calling for calm and solutions to unite the community he abused the opportunity to lash, and divide races, at a time of immense volatility. The DA believes that the situation in Coligny requires our diverse community to come together, and not to be polarised by those who seek to divide us,” McGluwa said.
Mahumapelo told a public meeting in Tlhabologang near Coligny, that he would not retract his utterance as he did nothing against the law.
He said the truth must be told unapologetic to rebuild Coligny.
The provincial government has come with a five-point plan to bring stability in Coligny and heal racial tension and respond to other issues affecting residents of the tiny maize producing town.
A Reconciliation, Healing and Renewal Forum was established for Coligny to attend to problems in Coligny further more Mahumapelo has formed a task team probing problems that led to protests in the Ditsobotla local municipality.