Pretoria -
The DA candidate for Gauteng premier Mmusi Maimane says he was attacked during a public campaign in Ga-Rankuwa on Tuesday.
Maimane was in the township as part of his “Believe bus tour” around the province in the run-up to next year’s elections. He claims that “in a co-ordinated attack, 100 ANC operatives were bused in to hurl rocks at us while addressing a crowd of supporters”.
Community members there, talking about their hopes for the future of Gauteng, were intimidated and pelted with rocks.”
Ga-Rankuwa police spokesman Warrant Officer Matthews Nkoadi said there was no attack.
“No case of public violence or assault has been opened with us.
“Our members went there and what they found was a misunderstanding. The venue had been double-booked and the two groups got there and there was a scuffle.
“In the end, the issue was amicably resolved and the ANC attended its meeting in the venue.”
Maimane disputes the police version of events. “If the police call what happened amicable, I’m confused. The venue was a park. If one party wants to have one meeting in a corner and another party in the other corner, it should be okay. We had to withdraw because the situation was getting out of hand.”
No one was injured in the attack. Maimane said it was up to activists in the area to open cases with police.
This is not the first time he has been attacked on the election campaign trail, Maimane says.
“Today’s scenes echo what took place at a campaign stop in Katlehong recently where rocks were hurled at our campaign bus and DA activists were assaulted.”
Pretoria News