Cape Town – Re-elected ANC Northern Cape Chairperson Zamani Saul has warned that the alleged shooting of Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s convoy could worsen internal divisions within the ANC ahead of the 2027 elective conference.
Speaking at the party’s conference in Kimberley, Saul questioned the logic of targeting the deputy president, especially given the ANC’s reduced support, SABC News reported.
“Who can in his right mind go out and want to kill the Deputy President of the ANC for a 40% party? Deputy Presidents were not killed when we were having 70%, and we come to believe those things because of the level of divisions within our ranks,” the report quoted him as saying.
His remarks came before police officially confirmed the incident.
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In a statement, the South African Police Service (SAPS) National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola said that the police have increased security for both President Cyril Ramaphosa and Mashatile.
Mashatile narrowly escaped harm after his convoy was fired upon while en route from an ANC NEC meeting in Boksburg, Gauteng – an incident that remained concealed from the public for nearly three weeks.
Bullets struck his official vehicle three times on the N12 highway, though he was unharmed.
“While it is not common practice to discuss safety and security aspects of the executive, the National Commissioner deems it fit to assure the country that sufficient resources are always assigned to safeguard members of the national executive. General Fannie Masemola confirms a shooting incident involving the Deputy President’s convoy. Following the incident, an extensive investigation was conducted and still underway with the ballistics report already concluded,” Masemola’s spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said.
Mashatile himself has downplayed the recent shooting incident involving his convoy, initially mistaking the sound of gunfire for stones hitting the vehicle.
‘Let’s focus on work’
It was only after his security detail inspected the bulletproof windscreen that they realised it had been struck by bullets.
Speaking during a visit to the KwaSizabantu Mission in KwaZulu-Natal on Monday, Mashatile confirmed that police are investigating the matter but emphasised that there is no need for public concern.
“Let’s focus on work,” he said, choosing not to speculate on the motive behind the attack, according to IOL.
Mashatile added, “You must have heard that the police are investigating. What happened is that as I was driving from the NEC, my car was hit by what initially I thought were stones. When we got home, the protectors said the impact was too much, and they wanted to take it for checking because you know a bulletproof windscreen is too strong to be damaged.”
‘Quite strong to be damaged’
According to The Citizen, Mashatile reassured the public, emphasising the strength of his vehicle’s bulletproof windscreen and his own security.
“The bulletproof windscreen is quite strong to be damaged,” he said, adding, “I’m properly protected so [there’s] nothing to worry about.”
