Hammer councilors could end up back in court

One of the proponents, a senior ANC member and prominent Buffalo City Municipal (BCM) councillor, is now suing the other, a fellow BCM councillor, for defamation. Sindiswa Gomba, who was a senior member of former mayor Sindisile Maclean’s mayoral committee, made headlines last year when Clara Yekiso accused her of assaulting her with a hammer during an African Peer Review Conference at an East London hotel. Charges against Gomba were later withdrawn and no reasons were given. This decision was also upheld by the Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions Indra Goberdan, who argued that the State would not be in a position to prove the required intent to commit the crime. Gomba is now suing Yekiso, for R100 000 damages for her assault accusation. Yekiso later received eight stitches at Frere Hospital. This was during a heated meeting to decide who would take over as Buffalo City mayor at ANC’s head office in Luthuli House in Johannesburg. Gomba’s name was, however, dropped immediately it was mentioned that she was the ‘hammer’ councillor. Full report in The Dispatch