MDC-T youths from Bulawayo province on Sunday reportedly attacked a driver of the party’s ousted Matabeleland North chairperson Sengezo Tshabangu and two other passengers before grabbing the car as the battle for control of the party intensifies.
NDUDUZO TSHUMA STAFF REPORTER
The four youths are said to have pounced on the occupants of the vehicle, an Isuzu KB 240, close to Grey Prison in Bulawayo, where they seriously assaulted them resulting in the driver sustaining injuries and losing a cellphone and money in the process.
Tshabangu, who is aligned to the MDC-Team led by Tendai Biti, yesterday confirmed the incident and said it was reported to the police’s Vehicle Theft Squad. The driver laid a charge of assault and kidnapping.
“There was a group of youths who attacked our driver and took away the vehicle. The group was large, but two were identified as Witness Dube who was a driver for (MDC-T deputy president) Thokozani Khupe and another called Kudakwashe who is the Bulawayo provincial secretary for youth,” Tshabangu said.
“The vehicle was taken from the driver between 12 noon and 1pm.
“They said the vehicle belonged to them. They did this in the most clumsy and dangerous manner.
“After grabbing the vehicle, they assaulted the driver and tried to tie him up before throwing him in the trunk, but he managed to escape by jumping off the moving vehicle.
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“He lost money and a cellphone in the mêlée. If they wanted the vehicle, why then did they attempt to kidnap the driver?” he asked Tshabangu said the behaviour of the youths was symptomatic of the violent nature of some MDC-T members linked to party president Morgan Tsvangirai.
“That is why the leader of the guardian council (Sekai Holland) was last week forced to read a doctored statement and 24 hours later held an interview to reveal that it was made under duress,” he said.
“It shows that these are violent people and that is why we suspended the president and those who share the love for violence with him.”
Acting MDC-T provincial spokesperson Swithern Chirowodza dismissed the allegations of violence saying the Bulawayo youths were in fact, the actual victims.
“I do not know the version of events you are telling me,” he said.
“Our youths were the ones driving the vehicle and some people attacked them. The province is investigating the matter as we try to understand what happened.
“It is this renewal team that is going around grabbing properties.”
Police could not comment on the hijacking and the violence last night.
