The Democratic Alliance would not be intimidated by political thugs, party leader Helen Zille said on Thursday.Zille alleged that the African National Congress had bussed in supporters to Siyabuswa, Mpumalanga, where they barricaded a community hall in an attempt to stop her from speaking.
"It didn't succeed. We simply pushed past them and got on with it. We will not be intimidated by political thugs," she told a crowd at Embalenhle Stadium in Secunda, Mpumalanga.
"This election will be the most exciting yet. There is a new fluidity in South African politics. The ANC is the weakest it has been since 1994 and the opposition is growing stronger," she said.
"The ANC knows this which is why it is mobilising its supporters to disrupt opposition party meetings and to intimidate voters," Zille said.
Party supporters were also threatened in another incident, Zille said.
"More disturbing was another incident yesterday [Wednesday] in Thembisile where I attended a house meeting at the home of a DA member.
"Once we had left the house, ANC supporters, away from the eyes of the media, stormed the house threatening to burn it down," Zille said.
"This is nothing new from the ANC. Last year the ANC did burn down the house of DA activists in the Mogoba informal settlement on the East Rand," she said.
However, ANC spokeswoman Lindiwe Zulu denied the party was behind the alleged intimidation of the DA or any other parties.
She said: "As a matter of principle, the ANC never at any point mobilised anyone to intimidate opposition parties. We do not mobilise people to do such things.
"If anyone can bring proof of any of our members being involved in such intimidation I can assure you that we will deal with it internally," Zulu said.
Source : Sapa /pc/gj
Date : 12 Feb 2009 15:34
