VIDEO: ANC accused of disrupting TV debate

THE DA has accused the ANC of disrupting a public debate in which the state of the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality was to be discussed on television.

The ANC has hit back, saying the opposition party was trying to deflect attention from its failure to come up with sound political arguments on how to fix Nelson Mandela Bay.

On Sunday evening, the SABC hosted a television debate at the Feather Market Centre, but the event was cut short after ANC members began singing and chanting in protest over seating arrangements. The debate was to be aired next month.

DA mayoral candidate Athol Trollip said: “Members of the ANC have just disrupted and therefore prematurely ended a political debate in Nelson Mandela Bay . . .

“The ANC refused to take up the seats allocated to them and instead held the debate to ransom by aggressively shouting at and pushing all other political party members.”

But ANC regional task team member Thobile Mhlahlo claimed: “The debate was too tense for the DA, they could not make a strong case . . . so now they are crying foul and making something out of nothing.” -Melitta Ngalonkulu