Pretoria - A Limpopo ANC ward councillor has been charged with assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, after he allegedly beat up a female fellow comrade, at a party branch meeting in Moletjie, outside Polokwane, in June.
Branch task team member Tlou Reinah Lekoloane, 37, opened a case at Seshego Police Station, claiming Alfred Moakamedi, known as Papas, assaulted her during an argument at the meeting.
Moakamedi is a councillor for Ward 16 that was merged with Ward 36 in Moletjie. He is also an additional member of the ANC Peter Mokaba Region.
Speaking exclusively to the Pretoria News yesterday, Lekoloane said she could no longer hear properly in her left ear as a result of the assault by Moakamedi, at OR Mabotja High School.
Lekoloane said: “We were attending a branch general meeting (BGM) on June 26 when an argument ensued. Comrade Moakamedi slapped me in my face because of political squabbles.
“Even his wife Martina started threatening me, saying it was not the only time I’d get beaten. She said I would yet again be severely beaten because I was getting my nose into their business.
“He gave me two slaps on the left and right sides of my face. So I went to hospital and later opened a case, but he was only arrested a month later.”
In a grievance letter, addressed to the party’s provincial secretary Soviet Lekganyane, Lekoloane asked that Moakamedi step aside from his ANC responsibilities.
“Medical papers, seen by the Pretoria News, confirmed that Lekoloane’s left ear was affected after the alleged assault.
Moakamedi dismissed the accusations. “Yes there was an argument, but I never hit her. This is just a political smear campaign against me.
“I will only step aside if the court finds me guilty and the ANC says I must step aside. This is just a plan to get rid of me in the ANC’s leadership structures. They are just playing dirty politics.”
Attempts to reach ANC provincial secretary Lekganyane were fruitless. Regional spokesperson Jimmy Machaka said they were not aware of the matter, but would look into it and see if there was a need for the step-aside rule.
Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo confirmed that Moakamedi was arrested last week and appeared in the Seshego Magistrate’s Court on August 19.
Pretoria News