Patrick would not hurt a fly‚ says girlfriend of suspended EFF MPL

The girlfriend of suspended Economic Freedom Fighters MPL Patrick Sindane has come out in defence of her boyfriend‚ denying claims he assaulted her.

Lebo Mogoasa of Randfontein spoke to TimesLIVE on Thursday about the incident that resulted in her boyfriend and father of her child being suspended by the EFF in Gauteng.

Mogoasa said she and Sindane were at an “after tears” party in Orlando‚ Soweto on Saturday‚ following a funeral‚ when an argument ensued between the two.

“There was never an assault. We had an argument and I started crying and people around me thought that he had beaten me up. People thought we were having a fight because I was crying. Most of the people that were there were drunk…I think [at that time] I was the only one who was not drunk‚” Mogoasa said.

She said the “admission” that Sindane made on social media about the assault was related to a scuffle which ensued among the EFF members who were at the party.

“Patrick was admitting that there was a fight between him and other fighters [EFF members] - not that he beat me up. He did not hit me at all. He had a squabble with the other fighters but not with me. I tried to explain this to the fighters but they were too drunk to understand me. The incident happened very late‚ at around 10pm. We came back from the cemetery about 2pm. You can imagine from 2 o’clock people drinking alcohol what is going to happen.”

When asked about the suspension of her boyfriend‚ Mogoasa responded: “It is a suspension. They are investigating. He has not been fired.”

She added: “If he had assaulted me‚ I would have laid [assault] charges at a police station and would have reported him to the party.” Mogoasa went on to describe what kind of a man Sindane was.

“He is a very sweet man. He is humble. He is caring. He loves his child. He wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

Sindane was reported to have allegedly assaulted Mogoasa over the weekend. He admitted on social media that an incident had taken place. On Wednesday‚ the EFF in the province took a decision to suspend him pending investigations into the incident.

The EFF in Gauteng said the allegations against its MPL had placed the organisation in an embarrassing position and it reiterated its stance against women abuse.