Durban - Voter registration in a Chatsworth by-election has been marred by an altercation involving a Minority Front party agent and a former comrade whose crossover to the DA could potentially see the MF lose its only eThekwini exco seat.
After Saturday’s incident, charges of crimen injuria and intimidation have been laid against Devraj Rama “Ronnie” Pillay, a former MF councillor who joined the DA in April.
The DA has described the charges as a “desperate” ploy by the ailing MF, while the MF said it would be opposing Pillay’s candidacy with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) as a result of the incident.
Pillay’s move led to a by-election scheduled for Chatsworth’s ward 73 on July 2.
As a candidate, Pillay was at Crestview Primary School on Saturday to observe registration when he is alleged to have intimidated and impaired the dignity of a MF party agent, Dolly Govender.
Govender said a woman had sat next to her and greeted her while she waited for her daughter to register at the IEC registration centre set up at the school. “Ronnie came in (to) the polling station and seemed frustrated. He was walking up and down,” she said.
Govender claimed he then lashed out at her, asking what she was doing with the woman sitting next to her.
“He was swearing at me and accusing me of trying to influence the lady. I was so shocked and scared I didn’t know what to do.”
An ANC party agent who did not want to be named said Pillay started shouting that he did not want Govender talking to people.
“It was totally uncalled for. They went outside and carried on having a heated argument. He used terrible language on her,” said the ANC agent.
Although Govender admitted to having retaliated, she said she could not remember what she had said to Pillay. However, she claimed the “attack” was unprovoked.
“The MF put food on his table for so many years but now that he has jumped to the DA he treats us like this, swearing me in all sorts of languages. I was scared he was going to hit me,” said Govender.
She approached the chairman of the Arena Park Community Police Forum, Jakes Singh for help.
Singh said he was at the school for a parents’ day event.
“I went up to him (Pillay) and asked what happened. Without warning he started swearing at me and threatening to phone his people and come finish me off,” said Singh.
He followed Pillay to his car where Pillay allegedly tried to assault him and had to be held back. Pillay dismissed Singh’s claims, saying he had said he would get DA officials to come sort out the problem of Govender and Singh’s alleged interference with registrants.
His complaint to the IEC official was what set Govender off, he said. “She (Govender) interrupted, getting aggressive with me,” he said.
Pillay said Govender followed him as he walked out, hurling personal verbal insults at him. To avoid an altercation, he said he went to his car where Singh approached him. “He kept insulting me while I was telling him to leave me alone.”
The DA’s eThekwini caucus leader, Zwakele Mncwango, said on Sunday he was not aware of the incident, but considering a criminal case had been opened, the party would let the law take its course. He said the DA had its own internal processes which would be instituted should the court find fault on the part of Pillay.
MF leader Shameen Thakur Rajbansi said the incident did not surprise her because she had allegedly experienced “aggression” from Pillay herself. She said the MF would be opposing his candidacy with the IEC. “How can a person who acts like this be a ward councillor?”
However, Mncwango said only a conviction could strike Pillay out of the running.
Although he was still to investigate the matter, Mncwa-ngo said he suspected there was no case but rather a desperate ploy by the MF.
“I think it’s just bitterness; it’s not nice to lose members and their seat in exco.”
Provincial IEC spokesman, Thabani Ngwira, said the commission was aware of the incident but believed it had started somewhere else and continued within the IEC boundary before the presiding officer asked those involved to take their altercation outside.
He said their argument was personal and not political. Chatsworth police confirmed the case opened by Govender. Pillay called Govender and Singh’s version of events lies and said he would co-operate with police as he had nothing to hide.
“In fact, I should have opened a case against them because I was the one who was intimidated and my dignity dragged through the mud,” he said.
Daily News