Man accused of assault in Xolobeni is ANC election candidate
An ANC candidate in the Xolobeni area has been accused of assaulting four people at the funeral of activist Sikhosiphi ‘Bazooka’ Rhadebe. Ntethelelo Madikizela, accused of assaulting two journalists and two activists in April, is the ANC candidate for the Xolobeni area.
He has denied any involvement in the attacks. Nigel Sibanda and Simnikiwe Hlatshaneni from The Citizen, and Moses Mbuthuma and Luthando Ndovela from the Amadiba Crisis Committee, were attacked during the 2 April funeral of murdered Sikhosiphi ‘Bazooka’ Rhadebe, chair of the Amadiba Crisis Committee, an organisation that is strongly opposed to the titanium mining project in the area. An affidavit from Mbuthuma and a statement from Ndovela, together with supporting affidavits from people who arrived on the scene following the attack, were given to the police at a stand the SAPS had set up on 19 July at an imbizo in Xolobeni.