Police stop Zille near Nkandla
2012-11-04 12:26
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Police prevented DA leader Helen Zille and her entourage from approaching President Jacob Zuma's homestead in Nkandla. See all the pictures.
Durban - Police were preventing DA leader Helen Zille and her entourage from approaching President Jacob Zuma's homestead in Nkandla on Sunday morning.
About 700m from where the Democratic Alliance was stopped, police in riot gear were trying to prevent a group of ANC supporters from advancing. Officers formed a human chain across the road, outside Zuma's residence, in the village of KwaNxamalala. Two water cannons and several armoured Nyala vehicles were parked nearby.
The song Awulethu Mshini Wami (Bring me my machine gun) was blaring from a sound system. Some people carried placards reading: "Stop attacking Zuma".
Eight people lay down in the road and refused to move when police asked them to. ANC supporters spilled out of several buses that arrived earlier in the morning.
A police helicopter was in the air and officers were stopping vehicles heading in the direction of Zuma's compound, checking licences and identities.
The Democratic Alliance intended visiting Zuma's private residence, where an upgrade, reportedly costing R200m, was in progress. Zille and DA officials intended inspecting roads around the property and would try to enter the compound.
The African National Congress and its allies have criticised the move. On Saturday the SA Communist Party said the planned inspection was part of a racist right-wing agenda.
On Friday the African National Congress warned the DA could receive a welcoming similar to the stone-throwing that erupted in May when the opposition party tried to march to the Congress of SA Trade Unions' headquarters in Johannesburg.
- SAPA
