DA candidate: Sorry for Facebook rant

2011-05-13 08:59

Johannesburg - A Democratic Alliance local government election candidate apologised after threatening and hurling insults at metro cops on his Facebook page, The Star reported on Friday.

Carlos da Rocha, who is a candidate for ward 66 in their Betrams/Bez Valley area, is said to have exploded on Facebook after he was fined for not wearing a seatbelt.

However, he said, it was a silly mistake made more than two years ago - which came back to haunt during the election silly season.

Da Rocha allegedly wrote: "You know ma china very soon im gonna let one have it (referring to metro cops) with a pick handle. its coming and its closer than they realise...(sic)"

Another update read: "I feel that these metro cops are a bunch of faggots..."

He apologised unconditionally for his remarks. He said he was sorry he had embarrassed "his family and the DA".

"No one who knows me will believe I had any intention of offending anybody. I am not sexist or anti-gay.

I was angry at the time because metro cops stopped and fined me for not wearing a seatbelt, yet they were ignoring the window washers who harass and threaten motorists all day long at intersections," he said.

"If I offended anyone, I apologise - the community does not deserve that. We all make mistakes, and I said things that no politician should say."

- SAPA