Dudula Movement and ANC members squabble during Dudula peaceful march

Jane Furse

Operation Dudula Movement in Sekhukhune Region said they have opened a case of assault and intimidation with the Jane Furse Police after their members, who were marching against poor services, were allegedly intimidated and assaulted by a group of ANC members who were on a motorcade campaigning for the upcoming general elections.

Dudula Movement Convener in Limpopo, Davies Magolego, said the incident occurred when their members were on their way marching to deliver memorandums at Jane Furse Police.

“We were on our way to hand-over the memorandums when a group of ANC members, fully on the party’s regalia, confronted us and starting to intimidate and assault our members. One of our members was badly assaulted during the altercation and urged to seek medical attention,” he said.

Magolego said the move by the unruly ANC members was a political stunt to disrupt their peaceful march which was aiming to fight drugs, poor services by the police and influx of undocumented foreign nationals in Sekhukhune Region.

“This is disappointing because the same people who intimidated us are also victims of the problems we were trying to fight during the march,” he said.

According to Magolego, the ANC rally that took place during the day was not authorised because the party failed to follow proper procedures to apply for their gathering, as stated in the Regulations of Gathering Act 205 of 1993.

“The ANC gathering was only meant to fight with Operation Dudula Movement and nothing else,” he said.

Magolego said the movement will follow up on the case to make sure that those who were involved in intimidating and assaulting their members are brought to book.

Sam Uwane, ANC Spokesperson in Sekhukhune Region, agreed that their members exchanged words with Operation Dudula members, however, he dismissed the intimidation and assault claims made by Dudula.

“It is indeed true that there was an exchange of words between the two parties around Machipisane when the ANC volunteers were on campaign trail conducting motorcade. The police intervened and no one was assaulted,” he said.

Uwane added that the ANC campaign in the region raised the standard of elections campaign for elections 2024 and they will never allow themselves to be distracted by fake allegations.

“We reject those manufactured allegations with a very high contempt they deserve,” he said.