By Kaya 959 News
The DA has alleged that a man has been arrested in connection with the assault of DA leader in Gauteng, Solly Msimanga.
Yesterday, a video that surfaced on social media showed a bloodied Msimanga.
In a video on social media, Msimanga can be seen bleeding from the mouth and head, while being accused by the assailant of being a thief and owing money. In the clip, Msimanga categorically asserts that he owes no one any such money and will consider laying charges against the assailant.
The man recording the video is believed to have been the one who assaulted him, claiming that the provincial leader owed him R1.4 million.
Police praised for speedy arrest
In a statement condemning the attack, DA Gauteng provincial chair, Fred Nel, praised police for the speedy arrest of a suspect.
Nel said Msimanga was on a social visit to his cousin in Benoni when the assailant, a business partner of the cousin, attacked Mr Msimanga’s family member.
“Mr Msimanga tried to intervene when he too was attacked. While on video, the assailant then accused Mr Msimanga, who was on the phone to police, that Mr Msimanga owed him money. The assailant was arrested by police and has since publicly apologised to Mr Msimanga, confirming that no monies was owed to him by Mr Msimanga,” Nel said.
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He said the assailant also offered to pay the medical expenses and other losses Msimanga may have suffered in the process.
“The DA condemns this vicious and criminal attack on the Provincial Leader. Our country’s constitution asserts the rule of law as a founding provision.
“If there is a disagreement, whether involving money or not, South Africans should commit to working through the parameters of the law to resolve their differences. No one has the right to take the law into their own hands, and compromise the rights of others, as what occurred today. Violence is definitely not the answer,” he said.
Personal matter
Nel added that since this was a personal matter, the party will respect Msimanga’s decision on how to further deal with the matter.
Msimanga has been serving as the leader of the opposition in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature since May 2019. He has been a member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature since February 2019, having previously served from 2014 to 2016
In the last four weeks, the party has been grappling with a number of issues over the qualifications of some leaders.
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Qualification-gate
Last month both the party’s Chief Whip Natasha Mazzone and Western Cape leader, Bonginkosi Madikizela were hauled over the coals over allegations made against their qualifications.
Since then, the party has defended Mazzone and explained her standing while Madikizela admitted that he had lied about obtaining a BCom degree.
He has since tendered his resignation as the DA’s Western Cape leader and MEC.
Despite the recent ups and downs, DA leader John Steenhuisen said the party was on track for the upcoming elections set to take place in October.
“We’ve been working hard to be in a position to wage our election campaign in these unusual circumstances we still find ourselves in and, come 27 October, every voter in South Africa will know what the DA stands for and what we offer them in local government,” he said.
