Cape Town - West Coast ANC members came under attack while campaigning in Eendekuil just outside Piketberg this week when a rifle-wielding man tried to prevent them from canvassing in the area.
On Tuesday, the police confirmed a case of pointing of a firearm was being investigated by Eendekuil police after Monday’s incident.
“No one has been arrested as yet and the circumstances of the matter are still under investigation,” said spokesman Captain André Traut.
The ANC’s election co-ordinator for Berg River area, Sammy Claassen, said there was no doubt the man was under the influence of a substance and that he was looking for trouble.
“As we were driving (in a marked ANC’s minibus) a white bakkie with a CA registration number approached us. He was coming towards us and suddenly blocked off the street, preventing us from passing through. As we came closer we noticed the rifle, which appeared to have a telescope attached to it, and he was aiming it directly at our driver,” Claassen said.
Claassen said when they realised the man was armed they immediately called the police.
“We weren’t sure what he was up too, but from where we were sitting he was aiming his weapon directly at us. When we saw the rifle, instinctively we all jumped out of the van, preventing him from having a clear shot. We ran towards his bakkie and grabbed him,” Claassen added.
When police arrived, they loaded the suspect in the back of the bakkie and took him to the police station.
Claassen said they had opened a case at the local police station and were contacted by police for more details about the incident.
Claassen said he was under the impression the police arrested the suspect.
“According to what we witnessed, police arrested him on the scene. I cannot understand why police are now saying no arrests were made.”
The ANC said locals in the area said they'd never seen the suspect before the incident.
Claassen maintains if ANC members had not reached the man in time, things could have played out differently.
“He clearly had a problem that we were canvassing in the area. Who knows what could have happened if we had not spotted the rifle in time. Our lives were in danger, there were adults and children all around the vehicle and we also found a Taser in his vehicle,” he said.
ANC members took to Facebook to air their concerns about the incident.
Leonel Jay questioned why the suspect was not in handcuffs. “Are handcuffs only reserved for coloured and black people?” he asked.
Others asked if there were right-wingers operating in the area and if people knew where the sleeper cells were.
William Mugal posted: “Seker gedink vandag skiet hy paar h****ts vrek.” (Probably thought today he would shoot a few h****ts dead), while Lee-Roy Jade Davids posted: “Ons is darem al te ver in onse democracy om nou nog onveilig te voel (we are too far in our democracy to still feel unsafe)”.
Cape Argus