THE EFF in the Western Cape is calling for Cape Town mayor Dan Plato to apologise or resign after footage went viral of Plato telling a resident to “shut up” when he was asked a question during a walkabout in Ocean View.
In the video, Plato can be seen on a walkabout with other officials and residents following, some of whom questioned him about housing and safety issues.
Aslam Richards is seen asking the mayor about having a meeting with him regarding a housing development, when Plato tells him to “shut up" before Richards completes his question.
In further footage, Plato is seen pointing his finger in Richard’s face as they get into a verbal altercation, with police grabbing Richards by the neck to pull him away from the mayor.
Richards said he would be pressing charges against Plato following the incident.
He said that when residents heard the mayor was doing a walkabout in their area, they saw an opportunity to ask him if he had received their memorandum where they requested a meeting with him, on issues relating to land grabs.
He said instead, the mayor intimidated him.
“The mayor intimidated me. At one point he got so angry at me that he turned around and he came at me, he pushed me and he put his finger right in my face. He told me to ‘shut up’.
“The mayor wants to get frustrated with us when we ask when we are going to meet, imagine how frustrated our parents are that the land they were thrown off from is being given away. When the mayor and the DA say they are here to correct the mistakes of the past, then why didn’t they seek the people that were originally thrown off that land,” he said.
Provincial EFF spokesperson Wandile Kasibe said if he is unable to apologise for his behaviour, Plato should resign.
“Not so long ago the same mayor made insensitive remarks when the Western Cape was mourning the death of young children who had fallen into a sand hole near N2/Borcherds Quarry intersection. We call for the mayor to apologise for taking away the constitutional right of a citizen to ask a question. If he is unable to apologise for his behaviour he must do the right thing and resign,” he said.
This as Cape Coloured Congress president Fadiel Adams said they will be lodging a formal complaint “against the mayor and his conduct.”
Plato’s spokesperson Greg Wagner said the mayor would not be answering any questions regarding the incident, and referred the Cape Times to a radio interview with mayco member for Safety and Security JP Smith.
The City said it would respond to questions in due course.