Cape Town - A group of people in Khayelitsha threw human waste at a bus on which Western Cape premier Helen Zille and others had travelled to a green economy event on Tuesday, her spokesman said.
During the Western Cape government event for the “110 percent green” campaign, some ANC Youth League members started protesting outside, said spokesman Zak Mbhele.
He said they threw faeces at the bus and some cars outside the venue.
“Police that were stationed around the venue fired tear gas to disperse the mob.”
Colonel Tembinkosi Kinana said two men, aged 23 and 26, were arrested for public violence and would appear in the Khayelitsha Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.
Regional ANCYL chairman Khaya Yozi said he was not aware of the involvement of any of its members.
“We approve and give notice ahead (of) any programmes. When we are embarking on a programme, we call media and all media houses and let them know about a protest or march. We did not organise this,” he said.
On Monday, two men dumped human waste on the steps of the Western Cape legislature in a protest about portable toilets.
ANC councillor and youth league member Loyiso Nkohla, and former ANC councillor and banned league member Andile Lili told The Cape Argus it was a “warning” of things to come.
“We will return with thousands of these bucket toilets next week and empty them around the legislature building,” Lili was quoted as saying.
“We were ready to be arrested and will die for this.”
Mbhele said at the time that criminal charges would be laid. He accused the ANCYL of using “ungovernable tactics” ahead of next year's national elections.
The ANCYL denied the accusations on Monday. Its regional secretary Mfuzo Zenzile said the party had held no meeting or protest which could have resulted in its members being at the legislature building.
“If there are individual members of the ANC who performed this, they did it as individuals and not as part of the ANC clique,” Zenzile said.
“If the DA wants to take them on, they can do so, but they should take them on as individuals and not as part of the ANC clique.”
ANCYL national spokesman Bandile Masuku condemned the Western Cape legislature incident.
“This protest action is disgusting and despicable to say the least. We believe the group could have opted for a decent, yet effective form of protest action,” he said on Tuesday.
“The ANCYL commits itself to bolster the ANC's drive to win back the Western Cape from 1/8the 3/8 DA. We will do this using our tried, tested, decent, and effective methods to raise the grievances of the poor without opting to vandalism.”
He said the matter was being investigated and it was confirming the identities of those responsible.
Last month, the Cape High Court granted the City of Cape Town an interdict against 89 former employees of toilet service company Sannicare, and seven people associated with the ANCYL.
Sannicare janitors, who were responsible for cleaning communal toilets, blocked a part of the N2 highway with burning tyres, and dumped faeces on the road. They were protesting against being dismissed. - Sapa