Pan-African Parliament: Majodina to take action over alleged assault

Things didn’t end so well for the African National Congress (ANC)’s Pemmy Majodina during a session of the Pan-African Parliament on Monday, 31 May 2021, as she wound up being physically kicked, amid a chaotic sitting. Now Majodina intends filing assault charges against the alleged culprit Djibril War, a male MP from Senegal.

Chaos had erupted with some members even getting physical, over the rotational leadership system. Majodina told EWN that she noticed War attacking Zimbabwe’s Pupurai Togarepi, and had approached them to calm the situation.

“I could see there was a scuffle down there, people were fighting and I saw honourable Djibril War from Senegal running and attacking honourable Pupurai Togarepi from Zimbabwe. I went in there to make peace; I was trying to separate them. It is at that stage that I was attacked by honourable Djibril who is the chairperson of the rules,” she said.

“And he kicked me. It is against that background that I’m going to open a case but now that the fight must be directed to me… I’m not going to take this lying down.”

The ANC’s Pemmy Majodina

Senegalese MP apologised to Majodina over assault

Pemmy Majodina has told the SABC that Djibril War has apologised to her for the incident and told her that he had actually been trying to kick a cellphone which was held by the Zimbabwean MP who was filming him.

“He was really apologetic and very sorry, and I told him this [would be] a serious case of gender-based violence in SA. You don’t beat up a woman. He has apologised and I have no qualms in accepting an apology, because this was a hot fight and it might happen that I was caught up in that crossfire,” said Majodina.

The sessions in the Pan-African Parliament, held in Midrand, have descended into chaos in recent days, with leaders failing to reach consensus on certain issues. The sittings last for three weeks, twice a year.