Durban - Police minister, General Bheki Cele, had to be shielded during a visit to a hostel in Durban at the weekend.
In the latest fierce confrontation which happened on Sunday afternoon at Dalton hostel in the southern part of the coastal city of Durban, the situation nearly spiralled out of control.
While Cele was not announced on the list issued by the ANC on Friday that was going to campaign in the country, he showed up at the hostel which falls under ward 32.
The ward has a vacancy and it is being hotly contested by the ANC and its rivals, the IFP.
According to a video which started circulating on Monday, Cele went to the hostel escorted by heavily armed SAPS members and Durban metro police officers.
Also in tow were rowdy ANC members in their party's regalia.
Upon trying to gain entry to the notorious hostel which is known for housing suspected hitmen for the taxi industry, Cele and crew were stopped dead in their tracks by a crowd chanting Zulu war songs and waving knobkerries and sticks.
While that fierce encounter was going on, a stone was thrown at Cele and in the police direction - but no one was hurt. And the police did not retaliate while they appeared to be a bit upset by the incident.
Cele, in his trademark black hat, jeans, running shoes and ANC golf T-shirt is seen in the video fiercely arguing with the hostel dwellers who had none of it. At some point, the dwellers sang a famous Zulu war song which says “the place is ours, what is the debate about ownership all about”.
It is not clear what happened thereafter as the video ends abruptly.
ANC KZN provincial spokesperson, Nhlakanipho Ntombela confirmed that Cele was at the hostel to campaign as assigned by the ruling party.
Political Bureau