Attackers target politician

MOKOPANE – A case of assault has been opened at the Mahwelereng Police Station after a DA councilor of the Mogalakwena Municipality was attacked by five unknown assailants in Mahwelereng on Saturday.
Pooe told Northern News he was approaching a traffic light while driving in his vehicle in Mahwelereng when a Mercedes Benz cut him off, forcing him to stop. Several men climbed out of the Mercedes and asked Pooe if he was “the man of the DA.”
“Yes, can I help you,” Pooe replied.
One man then punched him through his vehicle’s open window and managed to stab him in the chin with a knife. Pooe opened the door of his vehicle feeling dizzy and fell to the ground. He was beaten with a blunt object by one of the other suspects.
He says that he narrowly escaped being hit on the head with a huge rock. Pooe says that he was armed with a knife and managed to fight back and defended himself. He managed to stab one of his attackers in the ribs. The attack drew a crowd which started throwing stones at the attackers causing them to run off and flee in the Mercedes.
Pooe received stitches to his chin and says that he is “not intimidated by these
bullies.”
In a statement by the DA, spokesperson Katlego Phala, said the party is calling on the MEC of safety, security and liaison, Mapula Mokaba Phukwane, to table a plan to tackle the continued political violence and intimidation in Mogalakwena that is putting lives in danger.
“The ANC factionalism in the area has crippled the Local Government and is causing political violence on the ground.
Last week, however, ANC regional chairperson, Morris Mataboge said that there was no ANC factionalism in Mokopane - he said that the uprise against the Mogalakwena council is the work of a political faction no longer part of the ANC.