Johannesburg – The ANC Youth League (ANCYL) Regional Task Team in the Greater Johannesburg Region on Wednesday condemned the "spilling of blood" at the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) summit, but blamed Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba for the violence.
The ANCYL said in a statement on Wednesday that the City of Johannesburg under the Democratic Alliance (DA) administration was "racist and uncaring" for the African majority. On Tuesday night ANC councillors allegedly violently disrupted the IDP summit – a public consultation meeting – hosted by Mashaba at Midrand High School.
A number of individuals were injured during the scuffles. Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) officers were called in to quell the violence and alleged perpetrators were ejected from the school hall. School property, including doors and windows, was damaged. There was blood on the floor and chairs were left upended.
Mashaba earlier on Wednesday said: “A number of individuals were injured following the violence, including an EFF [Economic Freedom Fighters] member who had a gash to his head, as well as the chairperson of Ward 112, Andrew Osmond, who was hit with a brick on the back of his head with such force that he was concussed and had to be taken to hospital”.
The mayor of Johannesburg, who is a member of the Democratic Alliance (DA), said the meeting continued behind locked doors.
Mashaba took over as mayor in August with support from the EFF.
He said in a statement that he would be laying criminal charges against ANC councillors involved in the violence. The ANCYL said it strongly condemns the "spilling of blood that took place at an IDP meeting at Midrand, where the DA-led municipality with the help of EFF and JMPD [Johannesburg Metro Police Department] beat up the community of Region A.
"We as the ANC Youth League have long stated that this DA-led administration is racist guided and non-caring to the African Majority in the City of Johannesburg.
"Mashaba was in attendance of the IDP and idly stood by while his goons viciously carried out an attack on our people. Chairs and bottled water were thrown at members of the community as they sought accountability from the City's leadership," said the ANCYL. The ANCYL said it will take JMPD officers to task for taking sides and not protecting residents.
"The ANC is the majority party in the Johannesburg Metro Council and that means people have faith in the movement, public participation can never be relegated to a few who bought political power because it belongs to the people."