Goitsemang Tlhabye
FORMER DA leader Helen Zille’s visit to Eersterust near Pretoria was disrupted by members of the Patriotic Alliance.
The Western Cape Premier and DA Tshwane mayoral candidate Solly Msimanga were to address residents of the township at the Eersterus Civic Centre on Wednesday afternoon.
But unknown to them, members of the Patriotic Alliance had descended on the area with the sole purpose of disrupting proceedings. They called on the DA to leave the community of Eersterus and stop going to the area to woo coloured voters.
Zille could not even open her mouth as the crowd persistently shouted “Zille must fall”.
In the confrontation that ensued, the angry group told Msimanga the DA did nothing for the community, but “you have the guts to come to a coloured area”.
Logan Furtuin, of the Patriotic Alliance, said Eersterus residents were tired of parties like the DA who frequented the area to garner votes, despite not having the interests of the community at heart.
“People don’t know what is happening in Cape Town and now she comes here to collect votes so the DA can look after the white monopoly capital that is in this country.”
Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie said he arrived in the area to calm down community leaders who had become angry. He said he was only trying to help DA leaders to leave the area peacefully.
McKenzie said it was common knowledge that the DA and the ANC had used the coloured vote for a long time, and yet the people had nothing to show for it.