Helen Zille has received so many death and bomb threats in the past three weeks that her security changes her car regularly. On Tuesday evening she had to be whisked away from a prayer meeting in Khayelitsha after more than 50 taxi drivers tried to block the entrance to the Mew Way Hall.
On the eve of the DA’s whipping of the ANC, Cope and the Independent Democrats in two by-elections held in Mitchells Plain and Bellville on Wednesday Zille said she believes the taxi drivers threatening her are opposed to the new public transport system ahead of 2010.
Chief of VIP protection Mthethuvumule Mantambo confirmed that taxi drivers were threatening Zille’s life on Tuesday evening. He also said that the Civic Centre, where Zille’s mayoral office is situated, had to be evacuated on four occasions in as many weeks because of bomb threats against Zille.
But the DA is upbeat in the Western Cape after crushing wins in the two Western Cape by-elections. On Wednesday the party won almost 80% (5 040 votes) of the vote in Mitchells Plain. The ID, which had held the ward, polled 505 votes, the ANC 439 and Cope 164. And the DA took 96% of the votes in the Bellville by-election.
Other by-elections saw the incumbent parties retaining their seats. Of 24 wards in the country in which results were known by the time of going to press, the ANC retained 19.
But 10 wards in the Amathole district in the Eastern Cape were still awaiting results. These wards are considered to constitute a Cope stronghold, including as they do the hometown of axed Eastern Cape premier Nosimo Balindlela, who joined the breakaway party.