Central SA
Letsemeng speaker, mayor in assault dispute─── KEKELETSO MOSEBETSI 05:00 Wed, 23 Oct 2024
Letsemeng Municipality’s speaker and mayor are embroiled in a legal dispute after an argument escalated into a physical confrontation.
The incident occurred in Petrusburg last Tuesday (17/10) after a heated meeting of the southern Free State municipal council.
Speaker Xolani Mthukwane has confirmed he laid an assault charge against Mayor Bonolo Mocwaledi, alleging she struck him on the chest with a diary during a squabble.
Mthukwane has refrained from making further comments, saying he’s allowing the law to take its course.
But it’s since come to light that Mocwaledi, too, has filed an assault charge. She claimed Mthukwane pushed her during the confrontation at the municipal offices.
Free State Police spokesperson Loraine Earle confirmed both cases are under investigation and have been referred to the prosecutor for further decisions. Neither the speaker nor the mayor have been arrested.
Meanwhile, Letsemeng continues to grapple with governance and service delivery issues.
