A Bonteheuwel woman has applied for a protection order against ward councillor Angus Mckenzie and opened a crimen injuria case against him.
Nadia Maymen is chairwoman of the Bonteheuwel Ratepayers and Tenants Association and a founding member of the Bonteheuwel Joint Peace Forum. She has accused Mr Mckenzie of tarnishing her reputation.
She said Mr Mckenzie had accused her of working against the community and he had claimed that her son was involved with gangsterism.
She said she couldn’t defend herself on social media as he had blocked her from all his accounts, and her friends and family sent her screen shots of the allegations.
Ms Maymen laid a charge of crimen injuria against Mr Mckenzie at the Bishop Lavis police station.
“I thought that he would stop, but he hasn’t, so in January I laid another charge and again in February. People have started to threaten to hurt me at the next public meeting because of the accusations that he is making.
“He is not responding to situations like a ward councillor should, but instead encouraging people’s violent plans,” she said.
The matter appeared in the Bishop Lavis Magistrate’s Court on Thursday April 4.
The case was postponed until Wednesday May 29 and again until July 26 as the ward councillor was not present and had changed attorneys.
Ladovica Gordon, a member of the Bonteheuwel Joint Peace Forum, alleged it was not the first time Mr Mckenzie had made such accusations and she was “disgusted” by his behaviour.
“We are involved in many community projects, and these accusations are tarnishing our names and makes people question our credibility. He does it with everyone that doesn’t agree with him and makes statements which degrades you. He is abusing his power in this community. We try to be civil towards him, but he has no respect,” she said.
Mr Mckenzie’s lawyer, William da Grass, confirmed Ms Nayman had applied for a protection order.
“Mr Mckenzie denies the allegations, and we are positive that he will be vindicated when the matter goes to court,” he said.
Bishop Lavis police spokesman Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi said the investigating officer was still gathering statements .
“Once investigation is completed, dockets will be referred to the senior public prosecutor for a decision,” he said.