HA-RABALI – The Municipal Manager of the Makhado Municipality, Mr Reuben Rambado, paid an admission of guilt fine at the Dzanani Magistrate's Court on March 31, for assaulting an usher at the Rabali Stadium last Friday.

According to Insp Abel Thavhana, Communications Officer of the Mphephu SAPS, Mr Rambado smacked Rudzani Madzivhandila (25) of Dzanani, who was working as an usher during the preparations for President Thabo Mbeki's visit to the Rabali Stadium.

He said that the heated argument started when Mr Rambado refused to sign the register while going out of the stadium, even though he had agreed to sign when he went inside.

"As the usher refused to open the gate for Mr Rambado, he smacked him in the face, telling the usher that he doesn't take instructions from him," he said.

Thavhana said that, even though the incident happened on Friday night, the case of assault was opened against the municipal manager on Saturday. He said that the Mphephu SAPS had arrested Rambado on March 28, and he was warned to appear in the Dzanani Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, March 30.

On Tuesday, Thavhana said, the municipal manager requested the prosecutor to move the case to Wednesday, as he claimed to have other commitments. Thavhana said that Rambado had paid R100 as an admission of guilt on Wednesday at the Dzanani Magistrate's Court.

When contacted by Mirror on Monday and Thursday respectively, the municipal manager said that he did not want to comment on the matter.