Mthembu shooting shocks opposition

ANC MP Jackson Mthembu was shot in the face while withdrawing money at an ATM in Witbank at the weekend, police said. File picture: Antoine de Ras

ANC MP Jackson Mthembu was shot in the face while withdrawing money at an ATM in Witbank at the weekend, police said. File picture: Antoine de Ras

Published Oct 20, 2014

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Johannesburg - Opposition parties on Monday condemned the shooting of ANC MP Jackson Mthembu during an armed robbery in Mpumalanga at the weekend.

The Democratic Alliance expressed shock at the news.

“This heartless act and all acts of crime must be condemned,” the party's chief whip John Steenhuisen said in a statement.

“We call upon the SA Police Service to act in apprehending the perpetrators of this violent and mindless crime.”

The National Freedom Party said it was shocked at the lengths criminals were prepared to go to, to get what they wanted.

“Crime is worsening in our country and clearly everybody is vulnerable,” NFP leader Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi said in a statement.

“I view this attack not as an incident directed to Mr Mthembu, but it's an attack 1/8directed 3/8 to society.”

The DA and the NFP wished Mthembu a speedy recovery.

Mpumalanga police said Mthembu was shot in the face while he was withdrawing money at an ATM on Mandela Street in Witbank on Sunday.

The office of the African National Congress Chief Whip, however, said Mthembu was shot close-range in the chest and admitted to the Emalahleni private hospital where he was in the intensive care unit.

“Luckily, he was able to drive himself to the close-by hospital, where is under medical supervision,” Chief Whip spokesman Moloto Mothapo said.

Earlier, a family member told The Citizen online: “It is not clear how many times he was shot, but he is in hospital as we speak. I think the shooting was politically motivated.”

The African National Congress cautioned those who claimed the shooting was politically motivated.

“The ANC cautions against any malicious and misleading statements being made to suggest a political motive in this case and calls on those making such statements to desist from flaming distrust and confusion,” spokesman Zizi Kodwa said in a statement.

“Criminality of any form and against any individual should never be tolerated and those involved must be brought to book.”

Kodwa said the party had been in contact with Mthembu, who he said was in good spirits.

The Congress of SA Trade Unions expressed shock at the news of Mthembu's shooting.

“We salute his courage in driving himself to hospital and send him our best wishes for a speedy and full recovery,” spokesman Patrick Craven said in a statement.

“Cosatu demands that the SAPS do everything in their power to find and arrest those responsible for this outrage and bring them to justice as quickly as possible.”

Mothapo expressed shock on behalf of the Chief Whip at the shooting.

“We are disturbed and infuriated by this mindless and callous act of criminality and implore the police to leave no stone unturned in ensuring that those savage thugs face the full might of the law,” he said in a statement.

A case of armed robbery was opened.

Sapa

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