DA, ANC clash avoided in Katlehong

People queue at the entrance of a polling station to vote for the general elections, on May 7, 2014 in Johannesburg. AFP PHOTO/FEDERICO SCOPPA

People queue at the entrance of a polling station to vote for the general elections, on May 7, 2014 in Johannesburg. AFP PHOTO/FEDERICO SCOPPA

Published May 7, 2014

Share

Johannesburg - A violent standoff between exuberant ANC and DA supporters in Katlehong was avoided on Wednesday night, when official opposition leader, Helen Zille and Gauteng premier candidate Mmusi Maimane visited the area.

Also in Katlehong was ANC Youth League national task team convenor, Mzwandile Masina, who said Zille was tempting “anarchy” by coming into the “black township”.

He alleged the crowd of DA supporters, which numbered less than one hundred people, was a “rented mob”.

“Zille is a known racist and mouth-piece of capital and these masses know the ANC – nothing else,” Masina later tweeted.

The DA hit back on social networking site, Twitter, saying Masina and the ANC were intolerant.

“Can you imagine if the same was said to (SACP general secretary) Blade (Nzimande) in (Durban suburb) Umhlanga,” DA MP John Steenhuisen tweeted.

Zille and Maimane were in the area to visit the Mogobeng Primary School voting station, which appeared peaceful and efficient.

DA supporters in the street earlier welcomed Maimane and Zille.

Further down, ANC supporters enjoyed drinks at a tavern, but by the time Zille and Maimane were leading down a procession of peaceful and singing marchers, the ANC had convened a rival march to meet the opposition.

It was unclear if there might be a violent clash – but this was avoided somehow.

Meanwhile, Zille used Katlehong to end of a day in which she darted across the country, visiting three provinces.

Visibly tired, she nevertheless managed to toyi-toyi and sing – and all this in high-heel stilettos, which she said were picked by her stylist Janine Schouw.

But Zille and her team of aides’ night was only beginning, as they were to then make their way to the IEC’s results operation centre, where her chief of staff, Geordin Hill-Lewis said the key results would begin to become clear around 3 am.

Zille and the DA will be especially keen to see what voter turn-out looks like, Hill-Lewis said.

Political Bureau

Related Topics: