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The ANC in Greater Johannesburg was on Thursday expected to lay defamation charges against the EFF after the party accused it of killing one of their members.
This comes after EFF member Doctor Mlangeni was shot and killed, allegedly by the police, during evictions in Fleurhof last week.
Many people had illegally occupied vacant flats in Fleurhof and Mlangeni was shot in the squabble between police, illegal squatters and Red Ants.
While the EFF initially accused the police of Mlangeni’s death, they have now pointed their finger at the ANC, saying they murdered Mlangeni.
“The ANC killed him, they are the ones who sent the command.
“Police would have not gone to where the evictions were taking place had the ANC not sent them, they were just implementing the law,” said Silumo Mabona, the EFF’s James Sofasonke Branch regional secretary.
However, the ANC’s Sasabona Manganye said they would lay charges against the EFF to teach them a lesson to respect South African laws and stop their politics of gossip and spreading malicious information about the party.
Manganye, the ANC’s regional head of media and communication, said the EFF has spread defamatory allegations about the party in Johannesburg.
“The ANC has thus taken a decision to press charges against the EFF as the allegations are unfounded and seek to erode the reputation of the ANC as well as the government of local unity.
“The ANC wishes to express its sincere condolences once again to the Mlangeni family and Mlangeni’s close friends and comrades.
“We further call upon the Independent Police Investigative Directorate to speed up the investigations to establish the circumstances which led to Mlangeni’s death and those found responsible to rot in jail,” Manganye said.
However, Mabona said they still reiterated that the ANC in Joburg should be held responsible for Mlangeni’s murder.
“Let them lay charges, we stand by our word,” he said.
He said residents had occupied unused flats because they had been vacant for a long time and felt that they had to move in as they had nowhere to stay.
He said the ANC responded by sending the army, Red Ants, metro police and the SAPS.
“When people are resisting, force is used but you cannot use such force on unarmed people who are not even fighting back.
“Mlangeni had a bullet wound in his head. We wont let this slide, there should be justice for fighter Mlangeni, he said.
