/ 13 January 2014

Recipient of EFF Nkandla home fears for her life

A woman was given a house built by the EFF near to President Jacob Zuma's Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal.
A woman was given a house built by the EFF near to President Jacob Zuma's Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal.

Sthandiwe Hlongwane, who was given a house built by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) near to President Jacob Zuma's Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal, fears she and her family could be attacked, the Sowetan reported on Monday.

Thirty ANC supporters were arrested on Saturday after the EFF handed over the house they built for Hlongwane, and were allegedly pelted with rocks by ANC protesters.

Hlongwane told the Sowetan: "I was glad when I was offered the house but I was not aware it would cause all of this [violence] … I now fear that myself and my family members could be attacked."

However, she did not intend on moving from the area.

Meanwhile, 30 ANC supporters are expected to appear in the Nkandla Magistrate's Court on Monday after being arrested following the handover.

Charges of public violence
They would face charges of public violence, Captain Thulani Zwane said on Saturday.

On Saturday, the EFF and its leader, expelled ANC Youth League president Julius Malema, handed over the house to Hlongwane and her grandchildren with a massive police presence at the event.

When Malema arrived for the handover, ANC members blocked the progress of his car, forcing him to get out and walk to the house. After he made it through the crowd, ANC supporters began throwing bottles of water and stones.

Later, the  supporters were on a nearby hill when EFF members emerged from their meeting and began singing.

Some of the ANC group began throwing stones at them and police intervened using truncheons, a water cannon and teargas. Rubber bullets were fired and people ran and dived for cover.

Thirty ANC members were detained. – Sapa