Durban — The Phoenix Human Rights and Community organisation, Survival Centre, has welcomed the DA’s decision to suspend its “bully” councillor.
On Thursday, Francois Rodgers, the DA leader in KwaZulu-Natal, announced that the party had suspended councillor Rodney Moses and would launch an internal investigation. Rodgers added that the suspension would run pending the outcome of the judicial process.
“The DA holds its public representatives to a high standard of conduct and we take such allegations with the seriousness the public deserves from us,” Rodgers said.
Moses, the party’s Proportional Representation (PR) councillor, was arrested and charged with assault after he allegedly bludgeoned, Collin Govender, the estranged husband of his relative. Moses was released on bail.
Reacting to the news of the suspension on Thursday, Survival Centre head Reverend Ethan Ramkuar welcomed the move, commending the DA for doing the right thing.
“I am glad the party’s leadership did the right thing after we applied pressure and told them to be accountable. We will closely monitor this case and make sure justice for the victim prevails,” said Ramkuar.
Govender reacted with excitement at the news, saying the councillor deserved the suspension.
He added that perhaps he would “learn a lesson” and alleged that he had been “abusing him” for a long time with no consequences.He said he hoped that the court process would punish the councillor.
According to Govender, the incident happened in August in Phoenix.
He said he was at the birthday party of his sister’s grandchild when he got a call that his drunk son was having a heated argument with his mother.
Govender said he went to the party to fetch his son to calm down the situation, but while he was walking out of the gate, Moses and his son came from behind and hit him on the head with a metal bar which left him with 13 stitches.
He said he had opened a case and the accused was given “station bail” (released on warning) which left him shocked, since he was facing a serious charge.
“I did not do anything wrong and was walking away with my son, so I have no idea why I was brutally attacked like this.
“I was shocked that the councillor did not even spend one day in the cells and was given bail at the station.
“This to me proved that politicians receive special treatment from our criminal justice system,” said Govender.
He said the councillor appeared in court last month and the matter was postponed to October 18.
At that time, the DA’s inaction on the matter angered Ramkuar, who escalated it.
He called on the party to suspend Moses and even accused the DA of trying to sweep the matter under the carpet.
Ramkuar was also a DA PR councillor but had to resign after he had differences with the party’s leadership.
He now heads the non-profit organisation called Survival Centre.
Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda confirmed Phoenix police had opened a case of assault with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm after a man was allegedly hit with a metal bar by a suspect known to him.
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