DA MPs ATTACKED IN NYANGA

DEMOCRATIC Alliance (DA) MPs were attacked in attempted smash and grab in Nyanga on Tuesday afternoon. 

Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police Ian Cameron, DA MP Nicholas Gotsell and other MPs were travelling in a vehicle while conducting an oversight when chaos erupted at the corner of Eisleben and Govan Mbeki roads.

The vehicle's windows were smashed with bricks, leaving an Gotsell with a head injury and Cameron with a knock of his face and broken teeth.

Both men required medical treatment. 

Cameron described the attack as "horrific".

He wysed: "They threw bricks at the vehicle. I managed to hit one of them, but they kept coming back. 

"I tried to fight back, and I looked at Nicolas, his body was on his lap. 

"I took out my gun and shot. I am not sure if I hit one. The incident left me with broken teeth and I had so much blood on my clothes."

Western Cape Police Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembisile Patekile confirmed: “The preliminary report that the chairperson of the portfolio of police Ian Cameron and the other MPs were on the road at Eisleben and Goven Mbeki road.

“It was congested in the area when stones were thrown into them and the preliminary report is that there are some injuries on both them.”

He added that cops and medical personnel rushed to the scene.

Speaking to the Daily Voice, Gotsell said the ordeal is a harsh reminder of crime on the Cape Flats and townships.

He explained: “It is a reminder of why I do what I do and why I continuously put pressure on the Western Cape police commissioner to ensure that we have safe communities.

“I will continue to do my job as a member of parliament, my job is to do oversight of the police and all the departments of security and the justice cluster.”

Gotsell said that although the incident was unfortunate, it only strengthened his resolve to keep fighting for safer communities.

Nyanga Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairperson Dumisani Qwebe also condemned the attack.

Qwebe says: “We are pleading whoever is behind these criminal activities that this person can be arrested.”

He added the other crimes such as murder have been decreasing and the CPF are looking at more ways to keep the killings at bay and that CCTV footage cameras have been installed to ensure that suspects are caught and brought to justice.

Meanwhile, Patekile said if suspects are arrested, they could face charges of hijacking, robbery and theft out of a motor vehicle.