Julius Malema Feels for Disgraced Andile Lungisa After Berating at PE Taxi Ranks
- Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has reached out to beleaguered former ANC councillor Andile Lungisa
- Lungisa was on Thursday the subject of a public emasculation by community members and taxi operators in the Nelson Mandela Bay
- The EFF leader's tweet stirred up a frenzy on Mzansi social media as users added their voices to the chorus
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Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema reached out to beleaguered former ANC councillor Andile Lungisa, who was publicly berated in Nelson Mandela Bay on Thursday.
With rumours afoot that he has been a proponent for possible violent unrest in Gqeberha and the Eastern Cape, Lungisa was requested by the local taxi industry to appear at various ranks to address the public.
Source: Getty Images
On Wednesday, Briefly News carried the report that Lungisa was suspended for 18 months by the ANC in the Eastern Cape. A letter signed by the party's provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukaitobi confirmed the suspension.
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In a statement, the party's provincial disciplinary body said the suspension of his membership follows Lungisa's guilty verdict on charges of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm on councillor Rano Kayser, following a 2016 incident in which the former broke a jug over the DA councillor's head.
"DP Andile Lungisa what happened to you is absolute rubbish. I will never allow such rubbish to happen to me, never!!!" tweeted Malema.
Social media has a field day, EFF leader's tweet stirs up a frenzy
@joepst10 replied:
Go and confront those taxi bosses yourself my CIC. N.B. Leave your bodyguards behind, in Sandton.
@SiyaMfundisi offered:
"Indeed this is disgusting because the same guys can't even control their taxi industry and, all of sudden, they are heroes of the community by ruling by [intimidation]."
@SiyaNdlovu91 added:
"I said it, he is being intimidated here and he should not allow such. They are not police to be pushing Andile around, do they do the same with taxi violence? No."
@HonourableHloni observed:
"Surely the two months he spent in prison didn't teach him anything. If he had learnt anything of value, he would die for his convictions."
@sirboring_26 shared:
"The taxi industry is holding you guys accountable! During such times, we need order and discipline and not people just making remarks. Engagement before blood is spilt! The taxi industry will make you sing weekend special!"
Hands off Eastern Cape: Taxi industry praised for taking a stand against looting
Briefly News recently reported that taxi associations in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) in the Eastern Cape have drawn praise from social justice advocate and journalist Yusuf Abramjee.
The public transport associations in the province have vowed to fight against any potential looting as the province works to deflect the scenes that have played out in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
Abramjee posted a video showing a fleet of taxis parked off the edge of a main road in the Gqeberha suburb of Kariega (formerly Uitenhage). Accompanying the media was a caption that read:
"Well done on the taxi for taking a stand against looting."
The comments come in the wake of looming threats of civil unrest in the province, which has seen premier Oscar Mabuyane put out a call that the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) be on alert in the province.
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Source: Briefly News
