Mayor and his bodyguards attacked me‚ worker claims

Police are investigating a case of assault after a municipal employee claimed he was attacked by a KwaZulu-Natal mayor and his bodyguards.

Endumeni municipal worker Njabulo Magubane claimed he was walking home on Friday night when two cars stopped in front of him‚ three men got out and attacked him. He claimed one person hit him across the face with a gun and he fell to the ground.

Magubane said he recognised the men as the Endumeni mayor Siboniso Mbatha and his bodyguards. He claims the attack was unprovoked and that he hadn't had any previous encounters with the mayor or his bodyguards.

A passer-by‚ Ndumiso Zwane‚ said he tried to intervene.

“I was driving past when I saw a man being assaulted and so I stopped to help. When I got closer I realised he was being assaulted by the mayor and his bodyguards so I took out my phone to start recording‚” Zwane said. He said the bodyguards swarmed him before he could press record. He claims he was ordered at gunpoint to delete any footage.

Zwane said he fled and went to report the matter at the police station‚ but found the mayor and his bodyguards there. He said police didn't listen to his claims and he fled in fear of his life.

“I tried to call 112 (emergency services) because I knew that police would be of no help to me. When the 112 people said they couldn’t help I knew I couldn’t go back home so I slept in a bush that night out of fear that they would follow me home.”

However‚ Mbatha has denied all accusations made by Magubane and Zwane‚ saying they were an "attempt to tarnish my political record and the good I do for the community”.

According to Mbatha‚ he and his bodyguards were on their way back from a meeting when they noticed a large group of people gathered around someone who appeared to be hurt.

“I stopped because I saw group of people where gathered and there seemed to be some commotion. I didn’t want people to later say someone was in trouble and the mayor just drove past and did nothing.”

Mbatha said he realised that someone had been injured and that those who were there told him the person had been attacked by a group of people. He added that when the person who had been attacked was helped up by bystanders and stumbled home‚ he and his bodyguards drove off.

“I found out about the case against me on Wednesday morning when I was contacted by the investigating offer. I do not even know the person I allegedly assaulted‚ but I am innocent and I know justice will prevail”.

Police spokesman Captain Nqobile Gwala confirmed a case of common assault was opened on Monday at the Dundee police station.