ANC 'ambushes' Cope meeting

2009-01-06 14:00

Tshwarelo eseng Mogakane & Oris Mnisi

Bushbuckridge - Mpumalanga police are investigating a case of malicious damage to property after a gang of nine men tore down a tent and damaged the sound system at the launch of a new branch of the Congress of the People (Cope) on Saturday.

Cope's regional chairperson in Bushbuckridge and former ANC member Luckson Mathebula says the suspects wore ANC T-shirts when they ambushed community members who were filling in membership forms in a tent in Greenvalley village in Acornhoek.

"Nine men wearing ANC T-shirts emerged and cut the tent's ropes, forcing it to collapse on top of new Cope members," said Mathebula.

He said the men proceeded to tear a Cope T-shirt worn by one Cope supporter and also damaged the sound system, chairs and tables.

Mathebula said the men continued intimidating Cope members in front of police.

'Cope shall never rule here'

"They blatantly told us that Cope shall never rule here as long as the ANC is alive. They said the ANC controls the area, government structures, police and the justice system," said Mathebula.

Acornhoek police spokesperson Inspector Themba Twala confirmed that a case of malicious damage to property and another of intimidation had been opened, but denied the suspects were ANC members.

"The suspects are known even to the community, but they are not ANC people. We expect to arrest them very soon," said Thwala.

Cope's provincial spokesperson Willie Venter also accused ANC members of disrupting a meeting in Mbuzini near the Mozambican border over the weekend.

"ANC supporters arrived in a number of vehicles and taxis and threatened to storm into the meeting. Members of Cope had to lock themselves in the venue in order to protect themselves," said Venter.

He said police were called to remove the ANC members from the venue.

No proof, says ANC

Provincial ANC spokesperson Paul Mbenyane said the ANC would not investigate either incident as there was no proof that those involved were ANC members.

"People all over the country wear ANC T-shirts. That doesn't mean they are our members. Did anyone ask them to produce membership cards?"

He said the ANC was not a violent party, but would "fight those who poach from within our ranks".

"We are saying to our members that they must defend the ANC with all they've got. They must fight anyone who tries to poach their members right from under their noses."

Mbenyane stressed that he was not, however, encouraging ANC members to resort to violence.

"It is the ANC's belief that everybody has a right to campaign. We are not encouraging our members to physically attack people, but we are saying they must fight them. I'm not saying kill, but fight against poachers," he said.

He admitted that the ANC was facing challenges, but said that the formation of a new party was not the answer.

"I would advise Cope to be very careful. People love the ANC. They must therefore not provoke our people to anger. They must really stop trying to recruit ANC members. It's just some advice," he said.

- African Eye