Ululating could be heard in the corridors of Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday as ANC politician Andile Lili won his assault case.
Lili was charged on 17 November after he was accused of klapping Enkanini Primary School principal Siphiwe Hazel Ngcongca.
The incident reportedly happened at the school during a heated argument.
During the judgement, the magistrate said the State hadn’t produced enough evidence to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the paalie was assaulted by Lili.
Furthermore, there were no witnesses to support the accusation. Instead all the witnesses denied seeing the alleged assault.
While Ngconga went to the doctor months after the incident complaining of dizziness, her witness told the court he didn’t see the assault but had a recording of the bekgeveg, however, the cellphone with the audio was stolen.
The magistrate found Lili not guilty of the common assault charge, with the politician saying: “I knew that this case was formulated just for the ANC conference and nothing else. It was that I shouldn’t contest the conference. This was the war of factions within the ANC.”
The ANC leader indicated that his days in court are far from over, adding: “I met with the investigator last week and we are going to open a case of perjury against the principal and her witness.
“I plan on suing the Education Department because I have spent more than R257 000 on legal fees.”
A supporter of Ngcongca, Nolusindiso Matiwane, slammed the judgement as unfair, saying: “We knew there was a possibility that he would win as most of the witnesses supported Lili and lied under oath.
“What saddens us is that the court took Lili’s side during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence. This means that there is no justice for women at all.“