ANC members in the North West embarked on a violent protest on Sunday in response to a decision by the national executive committee to disband the province’s leadership.
An ANC delegation was booed and turned away by about 1 000 ANC members at the Ben Maree Hall in Rustenburg, who demanded to be addressed by leaders of the disbanded provincial committee — former chairperson Nono Maloyi and former provincial secretary, Supra Mahumapelo.
Luthuli House sent a delegation led by NEC member Thaba Mufamadi as well as Minister of Police Nathi Mthethwa, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Sicelo Shiceka, Minister of Science and Technology Naledi Pandor and MP Lumka Yengeni. The meeting was abandoned after more than five hours of unsuccessful attempts to calm the crowd.
‘A crowd of about one thousand ANC members did not allow the minister [Shiceka] to address them, [and] emotions flared up,†said North West police spokesperson Captain Elsabe Augoustides.
She said the angry crowd started hurling chairs at NEC members and broke windows in the hall.
Augoustides said police used rubber bullets to disperse the crowd. Two people were arrested.
The ANC condemned the incident.
”We will not be held to ransom by criminal elements posing as ANC members and call on the police to investigate and bring the perpetrators to book,” spokesperson Brian Sokutu said in a statement.
”The ANC also regrets reports of an alleged shooting said to have taken place outside the hall, resulting in an SABC photographer being injured,” he said.