CT 'assassination plot' foiled
13/09/2006 18:33  - (SA)  

Zille assault: 2 charged Zille warned of attack plot Zille warned of attack plot Govt slams Zille attack Govt slams Zille attack Roughed-up Zille wants escort Roughed-up Zille wants escort Zille blamed for violence Zille blamed for violence Zille offers VIP protection

Cape Town - A city councillor had to be rushed to safety after a tip-off that assassins were on their way to kill him, said council spokesperson Wesley Douglas on Wednesday.

Security is being stepped up around the multiparty government of the City of Cape Town after a mayoral committee member had to be rushed out of a public meeting after the tip-off.

United Democratic Movement councillor Dumisani Ximbi, who is the safety and security mayoral committee member, was taken to safety by members of the VIP protection unit, said Douglas.

This incident happened last Thursday.

Asked for protection

A warning of an imminent attack on Ximbi was received from a senior metro police officer.

Ximbi said: "I was invited to address the concerns of members of the local community at a public meeting in Site B (Khayelitsha) at a local crèche hall at around 19:00."

He said: "After the previous attack on the (Democratic Alliance) mayor, Helen Zille, I also had asked the VIP protection unit to be on standby in the area."

At a rowdy meeting, complaints were made about the local councillor for the area.

"My executive support officer received a warning that I was about to be attacked and that I had to leave immediately.

"As I went outside, I saw numerous other members of the VIP protection unit taking up positions.

"I was rushed away just in time.

"The information was given by a reliable informant and had included a description of the men who were to carry out the attack, and of their vehicles.

"As I left, those vehicles pulled up at the hall.

"The multiparty government is concerned about this latest incident as it crosses the line of political intolerance in Cape Town," he said.

Others have been threatened

Ximbi added that in the six-month history of the multiparty government there had been violent incidents such as chairs hurled at the mayor in a public meeting.

Also, African Christian Democratic Party councillors had been threatened at gunpoint and African Muslim Party councillors had been harassed at public meetings.

Douglas said an investigation had been launched into the incident and police were following up on several leads.

 

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