'Drunks' disrupt ANC meeting
2008-11-20 18:08
Cape Town - An ANC meeting at Ashton in the Western Cape had to be called off when it was disrupted by a drunk and rowdy group of outsiders, an organiser said on Thursday.
John Ngonyama, mayor of the Breede River Winelands municipality, said the disruption was clearly orchestrated, with political motives.
"From what I understand they were [supplied] with drink to come and disrupt the meeting," he said, "It was clearly a planned move."
He said the meeting, in the community hall in the township of Zolani on Wednesday night, was called to decide on a candidate for the by-election resulting from the axing from council of ward 10 ANC councillor Khanyile Klaas.
Klaas, who had been found guilty of breaching the council's code of conduct, had since thrown in his lot with the Congress of the People, Ngonyama said.
'It's not a good thing for democracy'
As the meeting was getting underway, the group pushed past marshals at the door, and began shouting.
One of them threatened a marshal with a knife, Ngonyama said.
He said when organisers phoned local police, the police said there were only two members on duty and they could not come.
"It's not a good thing for democracy," Ngonyama said. "We are talking here of democracy which means you've got a right of association."
Another date would be arranged for the meeting, he said.
Cope 'not involved'
Mogamat Majiedt, Cope's Boland convenor, said Cope had not been involved in the disruption of the Ashton meeting or of any other ANC meetings in the region.
"From what I heard it was basically a fight among them about candidates who are going to stand in that ward. That's what happens in the ANC," he said. "It's factions within the ANC that fight around the candidates."
He said that although Klaas had resigned from the ANC, he was not yet a member of Cope.
Klaas could not be reached for comment.
- SAPA