South Africa - Pretoria - 23 May 2024 - Election posters around Church Square. Picture: Jacques Naude / Independent Newspapers
With four days to go before the country’s national and provincial elections, the DA has come out to denounce the “barbaric attack” on its members putting up election posters in Tshwane.
According to the party’s Constituency Chairperson Katlego Makgaleng, their members were ambushed recently by a group of politically motivated hooligans while putting up the final posters for a DA rally in Mshongoville, Brazzaville, in the township of Atteridgeville, Pretoria.
Makgaleng said that during the altercation one of their members was severely injured when he was attacked while on a ladder, resulting in the member falling to the ground.
“This despicable attack has no place in a democratic country where political rights are enshrined in the Constitution. We believe this attack was politically motivated as the DA has gained significant support in the township of Atteridgeville and our opponents are unhappy with our growth.”
Makgaleng said even with this incident, the DA would not be deterred from its mission to rescue South Africa.
“Our message resonates with many South Africans who are determined to remove the current corrupt government. We have opened a case with the Atteridgeville police and trust that the authorities will apprehend the culprits and bring them to justice.”
Over and above that, he called for political party leaders to take a firm stance against violence and political intolerance by strongly discouraging their members from engaging in such behaviour.
“It is essential to respect and protect the rights of all individuals, including the right to hold differing political and ideological beliefs. By promoting a culture of tolerance and peaceful coexistence, we can foster a democratic society where diverse perspectives are valued and respected.”
This is not the first time that political violence occurred within the South African political landscape, especially since the start of the election season.
In January, newly contesting parties such as Rise Mzansi, which has gained immense traction, reported that its organisers and volunteers faced threats to their lives on a daily basis.
The party’s chief organiser, Makashule Gana, commented at the time that over and above the threats received by their members, within days of their election posters going up they discovered that their posters had been discarded in dumpsters or burnt.
“To the agents provocateurs, some identifiable, others faceless; and those abusing state power, we say we will not bend to thuggish and illegal behaviour. The life of the country and the lives of the people are at stake,” he said.
News of such incidents also came as no surprise given that a report from insurer Allianz Global Corporate & Speciality, which looked at the top 10 risks countries face, indicated that political risks and violence remained the fourth biggest risk in South Africa, surpassed only by cyber incidents, business interruption and critical infrastructure blackouts or failures.
The Star
goitsemang.matlhabe@inl.co.za