The ANC-led Maluti-A-Phofung local municipality in the Free State province is accused of being insensitive after one of its politicians allegedly unleashed the police to remove a disabled man on Wednesday last week.

The municipality allegedly unleashed the bodyguards to remove Ntata Maletsatsi (also known as Ratselane) after he staged a night-long sit-in at the offices of the municipality.

Maletsatsi staged the sit-in after he requested a gravel road leading to his house so that he could access it using his wheelchair. It is alleged that he is presently unable to access the house as the road is in bad condition and often gets flooded.

It was further alleged that he approached Mayor Malekola Melato and asked for her intervention. Melato allegedly claimed that the road has been fixed, and Maletsatsi came with pictures to prove that it is not true.

“It was a sad situation as one of the MMC (Members of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) responsible for community safety, Pastor Mary Crocket, asked the police to remove. He was forcefully dragged out of the building and left in the cold,” an eyewitness who saw the incident claimed.

The spokesperson for the mayor and the municipality, Thabo Khessah, first asked for time for the mayor to respond to the allegations and later said they have opted not to comment on the matter.