A fight broke out between ANC and DA supporters as DA leader and Premier Helen Zille addressed a by-election meeting in Gugulethu last night.
It started when a small group of DA members was heckled by an even smaller number of their ANC counterparts and ended with police firing rubber bullets at the ANC supporters to disperse them.
In no time after the meeting opened the opposing sides fought as police officers inside the NY111 Community Hall tried to push out ANC supporters.
The Cape Times was shown SMSes sent to ANC members' cellphones by the DA inviting them to the meeting. The members said they had decided to attend the meeting to demand to know from the DA where it had obtained their cell numbers.
Eventually the ANC supporters were forced outside the small hall where they began gathering, singing liberation songs and trying as much as they could to disturb the meeting inside.
While Zille was trying to address her party members inside, some of the ANC supporters started banging on the hall's prefabricated walls. Inside DA members struggled to hear Zille's speech.
Accompanying Zille was ward candidate and mayoral committee member for housing Shihaam Sims, DA MP Masizole Mnqasela and Housing MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela.
Inside the hall Zille told enthusiastic supporters in Xhosa that tomorrow's by-election in Ward 44 was no ordinary election.
"This is the time to show everyone that the DA is for all people," alluding to claims that the party was racist.
"The DA has won all the elections it has participated in.
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Idiots. Owned