AN ELDORADO Park journalist fears for his life.
This after he was allegedly assaulted by a ward councillor, her team, and her bodyguards.
Channon Lecodey Merricks told Daily Sun that he opened a case against 25 Patriotic Alliance (PA) members on Monday, 20 November, for attempted murder, physical assault, pointing a firearm and attempted cellphone theft at the Eldorado Park cop shop.
He said that on Friday, 17 November at about 3pm, when he approached his home in Eldorado Park extension 7, he saw three vehicles parked outside.
"I noticed one vehicle and the person in the vehicle was the PA Ward councillor of Ward 18. When I entered my residential property, the councillor and 24 other PA members rushed into the property, five females and 20 males, including official bodyguards."
"They physically assaulted me with the intention to cause grievous bodily harm," Channon said.
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He said in that vulnerable state, he was pointed with a firearm inside the property, and the councillor allegedly kicked him in his 4-5.
"They hit me with a black sjambok thing, that thing open and closed in three. That thing caused internal injuries to my body parts. All this took place in the presence of my wife and other relatives," he said.
"I was urinating blood while in jail."
He explained to Daily Sun that after being allegedly assaulted, he saw police arriving at his home and was puzzled about who could have called the police.
He said the police left after he confirmed he didn't call them.
"I went to the police station to open a case of assault. When I got there, to my surprise, I was told that these individuals who assaulted me rushed to the police station to open a fake case against me."
"I spent the weekend in jail. Kliptown court indicated that there are zero merits in the case they opened, and the case did not get enrolled to the courts," he said.
Channon said that his family was threatened.
He said that he no longer felt safe and hoped that the police would arrest the perpetrators and justice would take its course.
The chief whip of the Patriotic Alliance, Peter Rafferty, said the man was assaulted by a community member and not the councillor.
"It's a false case, we are aware of it. We will allow the law to deal with it," he said.
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Rafferty told Daily Sun that the conflict was sparked by Channon's post on his social media platform when he posted: "Eldos Ward 18 councillor is a drug addict, whether she recovered or not, we are not doctors."
Rafferty said: "The alleged councillor's husband and Merricks are nephews. They went there to address the post because of family relations."
Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo confirmed to Daily Sun that a case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily has been opened at Eldorado Park Police Station.
"Investigation is underway, and no arrests have been made yet," he said.
On 4 November, gatvol residents of Ward 17 and Ward 18 in Eldorado Park marched from corner Golden Highway and Main Road to Eldorado Park cop shop.
This was solidarity against allegations of ill-treatment, verbal abuse, intimidation, and physical abuse from councillors of the Patriotic Alliance.
