Woman claims U’hage councillor assaulted her

Yet another Nelson Mandela Bay ANC councillor is in hot water over assault allegations.

Uitenhage Ward 45 councillor Simphiwo Plaatjies is accused of hitting a woman during a meeting with residents from his ward on Monday last week.

The news comes as Ward 41 councillor Simphiwe Tyukana was accused of viciously attacking two women on the day his house was targeted by angry residents, who threw stones at his windows and tried to burn his house down.

Tyukana denied assaulting the women and pointing a firearm at them, saying he did not own a gun.

Meanwhile, Plaatjies is accused of assaulting Bridget Dhlamini, 24, of KwaNobuhle, who opened a case against him at the KwaNobuhle police station.

She alleges that Plaatjies smashed her head against a brick wall when she questioned when they would be relocated to new RDP houses.

Plaatjies denied the allegations, saying he had not laid hands on her.

He said he bumped into her when he was trying to walk out of the gate and was prevented from doing so by a group of residents.

“I did not hit or raise my hand at her [Dhlamini],” Plaatjies said.

Dhlamini said the alleged assault happened in Plaatjies’s ward office.

“The only thing I can say is that I was assaulted by the councillor during a community meeting,” she said.
“The assault happened in full view of people.

“I felt dizzy afterwards and couldn’t feel my legs. It all happened so fast.”

Dhlamini said she had been considered a special case on the list of those who had to be prioritised for houses, and that she had approached Plaatjies to establish when she would be relocated.

She claimed that it was after she called him out for not giving satisfactory answers that he smashed her head against the wall.

But Plaatjies denied that Dhlamini was considered a special case.

His version of what transpired was that the community refused to accept his answers.

“After realising that the people were asking the same questions I told them that I could no longer answer them and was leaving,” Plaatjies said.

“On my way out they tried to block me at the gate and that is where I made contact with [Dhlamini].

“The only contact I made with her was when I slightly bumped into her as I was making my way out.”

Plaatjies said police were also on the scene.

Police spokeswoman Captain Gerda Swart said a case of common assault had been opened.