The ANC in Gauteng has raised alarm, fearing that escalating political violence in Tshwane could cost it votes in the upcoming municipal elections.
Gauteng premier and ANC chair David Makhura told Sowetan on Thursday that the provincial executive committee would deploy its members to hotspots to monitor widespread fears of violence over councillor candidatures and the battle for control of government projects.
He said the party was concerned that incidents of violence, threats and intimidation in the region could cost the party votes as it could result in some people staying away from voting.
Makhura said different police units would be deployed to the capital city to ensure stability.
“We have isolated Tshwane as a district that is characterised by the kind of political practice that in Gauteng we have never seen before, of the use of violence and basic political thuggery in organisational processes,” Makhura said.
His comments come against the backdrop of the killing of ward 22 councillor Tshepo Motaung from Mabopane, who was gunned down in a hail of bullets last week. Motaung is the latest victim of political violence that has bedevilled mainly three areas in Tshwane known as Mawiga — Mabopane, Winterveld and Ga-Rankuwa.
An ANC member was also shot and killed and two others injured in ward 15 in Nellmapius when a highly contested councillor nomination meeting took a violent turn.
The violence in the areas, according to Makhura, has been accompanied by the disruption of projects, including sewer pipe replacements in various townships.
The ANC has set its sight on winning back the Tshwane metro, which it lost to a DA-led coalition in 2016, after a battle over the party's mayoral candidates sparked a wave of violence that led to the destruction of property.
The party launched its manifesto on Monday in Tshwane, making its intentions for the metro clear. Party head honchos have also visited various areas, particularly townships, to plead with voters to give it another chance in next month’s poll. Thursday, it was the turn of Deputy President David Mabuza, who went door to door in Mamelodi campaigning.
Makhura said councillors had fled the Mawiga zone after threats and intimidation, as the battle for positions and resources “led by criminal syndicates and assisted by political leaders” continued.
“They want to choose who must be a candidate or leader of the ANC so that they have control over those people. We have three councillors who were killed in Mawiga between 2019 and now, under a hail of bullets. We have got many projects that have been disrupted in the area. There are other young people who protect projects who have been killed as well,” Makhura said.
“Between now and elections, the most urgent thing there is to create a climate of political stability and presence of law enforcement so that even residents in areas can exercise their democratic right. As the political leadership of the provincial government we also have a responsibility to ensure that ordinary people, not just candidates, are feeling safe.”
Tshwane ANC secretary Eugene Modise said the regional leadership was alarmed by the continued violence.
“Everybody is terrified and shocked. When a councillor is killed in a hail of bullets, it is shocking. In relation to normalcy, everybody is scared but the programme that we have begun, so that we meet each and every one will help, and the police are taking this matter seriously so that we deal with matters of intimidation and threats,” Modise said.
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