GEORGE NEWS - A sombre atmosphere prevailed outside the George Magistrate's Court on Friday 23 October as two groups of ANC supporters stood divided at the court appearance of ANC Regional Secretary Major Sokopo and correctional services warden Nontle Gomo. 

The two have opened cases of assault against each other following an altercation between them on Tuesday 9 October at the George Correctional services premises.

Supporters, mainly ANC Youth League members, stood outside court with placards that voice support for Gomo who was also among them. Speaking for the Youth League, Mbangu said this was the start of their campaign to support Gomo. 

"We will be here in court every time she appears." The other group did not want to speak with the media. The case was postponed to 21 November for Sokopo and Gomo to gather witnesses.

Following the incident on 9 October, the two groups released diametrically opposed statements, the youth league saying that it was deeply saddened and disgusted by media reports of the regional secretary of the ANC allegedly assaulting a woman.

The statement, issued by ANCYL regional spokesperson Aviwe Mbagu, reads as follows: "ANCYL believes that Major Sokopo is not above processes of the ANC and of the law. We are also calling on the justice system to ensure that the charges against Major Sokopo are thoroughly investigated and the charges be changed from common assault to assault with intention to cause bodily harm."

The other group of supporters only spoke to the media to say they were there to support and defend the ANC, nothing else.

In response to the statement by the Youth League, the ANC in the region issued a statement on 15 October that reads: "It is clear that the ANCYL statement reeks of personal attacks and settling of scores between youth league leadership who clearly have not matured above their own indifferences [sic] with ANC leadership in the region. We have further observed with great concern that there are strong orchestrated efforts being made by anti-revolutionary elements who will stop at nothing in discrediting the newly elected leadership of the ANC in the Southern Cape. We remain committed to fighting all forms of abuse against women and condemn it with the contempt it deserves."