An African National Congress ward candidate in Midvaal was allegedly attacked after a door-to-door campaign in the area, the party said on Friday.
African National Congress spokesperson Brian Hlongwa said Loveliness Mazibuko claimed three men attacked her while she was walking home in Daleside on Thursday. Mazibuko was wearing an ANC T-shirt.
She claimed that while the men assaulted her they said: “ANC se kak, jou kaffir”, said Hlongwa.
Mazibuko’s upper shoulder and neck were injured. She was still in the Heidelberg Hospital on Friday night.
“All that we are praying for is free political activity … The sad thing is that tensions seem to be rising as we approach election day,” Hlongwa said.
He also criticised the Democratic Alliance for the way in which it had apparently removed a bust of Hendrik Verwoerd from outside the municipal offices in Meyerton on Wednesday night, saying the incident could contribute to the highly charged atmosphere.
The Midvaal municipality is run by the DA.
“I just hope that we don’t have a repetition of this. There is life after the May 18 [election] and people will have to co-exist.”
Mazibuko would lodge a complaint with police when she was discharged from hospital, Hlongwa said. – Sapa