Former ANC Youth League deputy president Ronald Lamola.
Former ANC Youth League deputy president Ronald Lamola was involved in a fist fight after being accused of attempting to orchestrate Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza's downfall, the Star reported on Tuesday.
According to the paper, the fight started when the deputy chairperson of Ehlanzeni region Nathaniel Mashile accused Lamola and ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe of secretly meeting and plotting to remove the Mpumalanga premier.
The incident, according to report, took place at Cappello restaurant in Mbombela, Mpumalanga.
"He just accused me, [ANC provincial secretary Lucky] Ndinisa and Gwede of conspiring and having night meetings to remove DD [Mabuza] as premier. I got angry as I didn't know what he was talking about," Lamola was quoted as saying.
He told the paper Mashile threw a bottle at him and he had to retaliate and defend himself.
'He would have hurt me'
"I then stood up and fought back because if I didn't, he would have hurt me badly."
He said he did not open a case against Mashile as he knew him.
Mashile denied being at the restaurant and in a fight with Lamola.
The paper reported that a security guard at Cappello's confirmed that "they [the security guards] had to separate the two because Mashile was 'uncontrollable'." – Sapa