Polokwane mayor claims plot by detractors to oust him

John Mpe, mayor for the Polokwane local municipality and chair for the ANC in the Peter Mokaba region, is accusing his detractors of hatching a plot to oust him through the party's step-aside rule.

- Alex Japho Matlala

This comes in the wake of allegations that Mpe had a hand in the shooting and wounding of a nine-year-old girl during a scuffle involving the ANC and the EFF at Juju Valley outside Polokwane.

Tension flared after former EFF provincial chair Jossey Buthane left the red berets to join the ANC, following a fallout with leader Julius Malema.

Buthane claimed scores of EFF supporters also crossed the floor with him.

Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba said Buthane was later arrested and charged with attempted murder after a 25-year-old man was shot and wounded during the scuffle.

He said the politician was out on R5000 bail.

At the time, the ANC in Limpopo branded the incident a premeditated move by the EFF, aimed at disrupting the ANC's election campaign.