
BY REGINALD KANYANE
MATSHENG- African National Congress Youth League president Collen Maine is expected to lay a charge of intimidation against Economic Freedom Fighters members at Taung police station. This comes after EFF members visited his parental home in Matsheng village, near Taung on Monday. The EFF members were allegedly picketing outside his home and delivered bananas to his family after Maine referred to them as ‘monkeys’.
EFF provincial secretary in North West, Thabo Sehloho said: “We as members of EFF in North West, we felt it was appropriate to visit Maine’s family and delivered bananas after his rhetoric statement. Maine called EFF members monkeys and we wanted to show him how monkeys behave. We urge him to carry bananas wherever he goes, because monkeys without bananas can be very treacherous.
“We want him to withdraw his statement. We are living in modernised times, so Maine statement was rather distasteful and absurd. While we were busy picketing at the area, we saw ANC members armed with dangerous weapons pouncing on us. A fight broke between two groups after they attacked us.”
One person was allegedly run over by a car and more than ten people suffered various injuries during a fight. Police were called and monitored a situation.
Maine called EFF members ‘monkeys’ while addressing ANCYL members during ‘Kgalemela Lenyatso’ rally at Soshanguve in Gaunteng. His statement came after EFF leader, Julius Malema affirmed that they will interrupt president Jacob Zuma’ speech during State Of The Nation address that will take place on Thursday.
Our attempt to get ANCYL president, Collen Maine’s comment turned to be futile as his phone rung unanswered. He did not return our messages or calls before going to press.
ANCYL regional secretary in Dr Ruth Mompati, Crespo Menyatso alleges that the people who fought against ADD members were not members of ANC, but the community of Matsheng at large.
“I can confirm that the EFF members went on to attack ANCYL president Collen Maine’s family. The community members had to stand up and protect the household of the son of the soil.
“Some of ANC members were part of the community, so the community could not let EFF members traumatised and threatened the family of Maine. We did not attack them, even police back them not to enter Maine’s premises. They were carrying boxes of bananas yet Maine was not around. If the did not like what ANCYL president’s utterance they were supposed to address the matter properly as a registered political party,”
-TDN
Follow us on Twitter@Taung_DailyNews or @IceT_