Cape Town - “I don’t mind dying for my country and what I believe in.”
This is according to the man who was arrested at the EFF protest on Friday.
Despite numerous calls for Brackenfell residents to not engage with EFF protesters during their protest on Friday in the community, a white resident made his way to the front of the EFF’s makeshift stage in the middle of Frans Conradie and allegedly hurled racial slurs and profanities at the crowd while the party’s general secretary, Marshall Dlamini, was speaking.
EFF members responded to the provocation by beating and stomping on the man as he lay screaming at their feet. He was rescued by the police a few minutes later.
Police called on the crowd to disperse, which was met with some resistance at first and quickly turned around as the police began firing rubber bullets, throwing stun grenades, released tear gas and utilised water cannon trucks.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said: “One member of the public was injured after he attempted to disrupt the EFF protest. He was arrested on the scene on a charge of incitement and is also due in court in due course.”
The injured resident said that he had decided to set the EFF crowd straight after their continuous calls for white people to be done away with.
He said: “I am willing to die for my country. What the EFF are saying and doing here is wrong. South Africa is for all who live in it regardless of race and culture. Both Afrikaans people and black people belong here, and I had to let them know that.”
Meanwhile, a few metres away, dispersing protesters began throwing rocks and sticks in retaliation at police officers and law enforcement, vandalising a few businesses, private vehicles and state vehicles, as well as setting alight open fields in the community and surrounding areas.
Van Wyk said: “The protest action in Brackenfell necessitated police action to maintain law and to disperse the riotous crowd. Eight protestors were arrested on charges of public violence and they are due in court once they have been charged.
“As the protesters dispersed, they were throwing stones at all Law Enforcement agencies as well as businesses. Several SAPS, Law Enforcement vehicles, windows of businesses as well as private vehicles were damaged.
“The crowd has since dispersed but the situation in the area is still being monitored. Our forces will remain in the area until we are satisfied that the situation has stabilised.”
Police and some @EFFSouthAfrica members clash in #Brackenfell.#effinbrakenfell#BrackenfellHighSchool
— IOL News (@IOL) November 20, 2020
📹 @PJikelo / @AfriNewsAgency pic.twitter.com/P549Kjg54F
Cape Argus