Cape Town – The Activists and Citizens Forum has dismissed the alleged attempted assassination of Deputy President Paul Mashatile as a fabricated story, accusing him of seeking sympathy votes ahead of the ANC’s 2027 National Conference.
The forum points to the ANC’s silence on the matter, with Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula confirming they received no detailed report from Mashatile’s office.
According to SABC News, forum spokesperson Dennis Bloem insists that if the incident were real, the ANC and security forces would have reacted strongly.
“If it was the truth, the country could have been turned upside down by the security forces and by the ANC itself. The ANC could’ve made a big noise but up until now, they are quiet. That’s why we are saying this is a cooked-up story,” the report quoted Bloem as saying.
Meanwhile, ANC Treasurer-General Gwen Ramokgopa has refuted claims linking the incident to the 2027 Conference and has urged law enforcement to investigate the matter.
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.
The deputy president 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.”
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
