The DA has lodged a complaint with police against a Sadtu union official who allegedly tried to run over Lindiwe Mazibuko.
|||Complaints have been lodged with police against a union official the DA claims tried to run over its parliamentary leader, Lindiwe Mazibuko, as she walked in solidarity with pupils without transport to school.
But the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) said the official, Honjiswa Mrwebi, denied wrongdoing.
Mazibuko and other party officials joined Queenstown pupils at 6am on their 12km walk to school on Friday to highlight the problems with scholar transport in the area and the long distances pupils are forced to walk to school.
Edmund van Vuuren, DA Eastern Cape provincial chairman, said he had lodged the complaints on Monday against Mrwebi, a teacher and chairwoman of Sadtu’s Hewu branch.
“(Complaints) of reckless driving and intent to do grievous bodily harm were (lodged) against Mrwebi at the Humewood Police Station in Port Elizabeth.”
Port Elizabeth police spokesman Alwin Labans confirmed the complaint had been lodged.
Van Vuuren alleged Mazibuko had narrowly avoided being hit by Mrwebi’s car. “(Mrwebi) came from behind us. When she came close she accelerated and drove right at Lindiwe. If Lindiwe had not given way, she would have been run over.
“Mrwebi veered from the left-hand side of the road to the right-hand side where Lindiwe was walking.”
He said Eastern Cape Education Department superintendent-general Modidima Mannya had accepted the DA’s request for an internal investigation into Mrwebi’s conduct.
“I have also contacted Education MEC Mandla Makupula. This incident is unacceptable and the DA expects the MEC to take action.”
Van Vuuren said attention should now turn to the shortcomings of the Eastern Cape education system.
“Now that (complaints have been lodged), the focus must be put back on the real issue. Every morning thousands of Eastern Cape learners are waking up to walk distances of up to 20km to get to school.
“Sadtu’s reaction to Ms Mazibuko’s solidarity walk is a symptom of the union’s aggressive attitude to people with genuine concerns about the impact that difficulties like transport and strikes has on learners.”
Mazibuko did not respond to a request for comment on Monday and the Cape Times was unable to contact Mrwebi yesterday.
Sadtu spokeswoman Nomusa Cembi said she was awaiting a report from Mrwebi, who had indicated that her actions had not been intentional. - Cape Times
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