VF+ Councilor threatened by GMM Speaker
Councillor Aranda Nel-Buidendagt of the Freedom Front Plus laid charges against the Govan Mbeki Municipality Speaker, Cllr Fikile Magagamela regarding a death threat made by her towards Cllr Aranda Nel-Buidendag. The charges were laid on Thursday December 8, 2022
The recent council meeting was marred by draconian actions taken by Magagamela.
Magagamela continued to make rulings when she was clearly overstepping her authority. She made a ruling on the application for leave of absence by VF+ councillor Deon de Vries that his application is not accepted and should be referred to the rules committee. This was after she did not call the scheduled council meeting as approved by the council at the beginning of the year but rather opted for calling an extraordinary meeting several days later.
She disapproved of a member of the DA refusing to call her speaker but rather opting to call her Honourable Councillor. She continued to have the councillor removed even though there is no rule or law compelling the use of the word speaker.
Magagamela asked Nel-Buidendag why she did not protect her against the DA member that was removed. Nel-Buidendag told her that it is an issue between her and the DA. She then leaned over and whispered to Nel-Buidendag “I will kill you.”
In a recorded voice note Magagamela allegedly tried to play victim and labelled the comment as a joke.
“The freedom Front Plus views this threat in a very serious light,” said Nel-Buidendag, “I don’t know if it is safe to even leave my house.”
The country has seen an upsurge of violence on politicians in the past year or two and any threats such as these should always be seen in the most serious light.
The news publication IOL wrote on October 21, 2022 the following headline: “Former eThekwini ward councillor Sunil Brijmohan shot dead” Read the story HERE
On September 21, 2022 the same publication wrote the following headline: “Life imprisonment for man who killed ANC branch executive committee secretary outside her home” Read the story HERE
On the same day they also wrote “Five men accused of killing Collins Chabane mayor Moses Maluleke remanded in custody” Read the story HERE
The day before the following article was published “Cogta MEC raises concern about councillor killings, says disagreements should not lead to murder.” Read the story HERE
Times Live wrote on 22 October 2022 the following: ” Concern about ‘hit squad’ in wake of former KZN councillor’s murder.” Read the story HERE
On September 27, 2022 The Bulletin reported on an assassination attempt on GMM ward 4 Councillor Cllr Simphiwe Sindelo in eMbalenhle. “SHOTS FIRED AT ANC COUNCILLOR IN FAILED AMBUSH” The story can be read HERE.
It is clear that Political violence is on the rise in South Africa.
The threat by Magagamela is now under investigation by the South African Police Services.
