A senior African National Congress (ANC) official has resigned after he was arrested and charged with drunk driving and contravening lockdown regulations.
Madoda Papiyana was arrested on Friday.
He was the ANC chief whip in the Chris Hani District Municipality and the party’s regional treasurer.
Papiyana tried to flee after he was pulled over at a lockdown roadblock near Elliot on Friday.
But police gave chase and cornered him in Ngcobo.
The 39-year-old was allegedly under the influence of alcohol and had liquor in his car.
Shortly after he was arrested, charged and while still in custody, Papiyana tendered his resignation as ANC chief whip.
The ANC’s Chris Hani regional secretary Lusanda Sizani said: “As the African National Congress, we condemn the behaviour of our chief whip and we welcome the decision of him to resign as the chief whip of the ANC in the caucus of Chris Hani District Municipality.”
Sizani said they appealed to everyone to adhere to the rules of the lockdown.