Hermanus - The Democratic Alliance has laid charges of incitement to public violence and illegal occupation of public and private land against ANC MPP Cameron Dugmore for what the party called "his role in the unrest that resulted from the attempted land grabs in Hermanus".
Constituency Head Masizole Mnqasela laid the charges at the Hermanus police station.
The party said it had suspected that the unrest which flared up a few weeks ago when members of the Western Cape Legislature visited the troubled area was orchestrated by "a third force". A police station and the community library were gutted during attempted land invasions which were reportedly led by members of the EFF.
DA Constituency Head Masizole Mnqasela comments on the charges the party laid against the ANC's Cameron Dugmore.
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DA MPP Masizole Mnqasela took this photo of ANC MPP Cameron Dugmore in a text conversation with ANC provincial secretary Faiez Jacobs Picture: Supplied
During that visit DA MPP Masizole Mnqasela reportedly took a photograph of a text conversation between Dugmore and ANC provincial secretary Faiez Jacobs in which Dugmore purportedly says: “This is a campaign we must lead and drive in terms of our policies. We must also look at well located private land and consider”.
The DA says Mnqasela challenged Dugmore to publicly declare the rest of the content of the message by Thursday, but the ANC MPP did not comply.
"It is extremely dangerous for politicians to mobilise people around serious issues, using divisive language for own political gain. Dugmore is rumoured to stand for election as the ANC Western Cape’s Provincial Chairperson. It would seem that Dugmore saw the tense situation in Hermanus as an opportunity to gain significance and favour within his organisation ahead of his chairmanship campaign," the party said.