Campaigners injured in attack

ANC members were attacked and injured on Sunday while conducting a door-to-door election campaign in the Lindelani area at KwaDukuza‚ north of Durban.

Police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele said a group of political party supporters had been campaigning when they were allegedly accosted by unknown people who attempted to rob them of valuables.

“Two people were injured after they fell while fleeing in separate directions‚” Mbele said.

“They have been taken to hospital for medical attention.”

Mbele confirmed that police minister Bheki Cele was in the area at the time of the incident, but was not with the group that was attacked.

“There were two groups who were conducting the campaigns.

“The group that was attacked is not the group that the minister was with at the time‚” she said.

The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal condemned the incident‚ alleging that the attack was carried out by members of a rival political party.

“We strongly condemn such barbaric behaviour against our members who were campaigning peacefully when they were brutally attacked‚” provincial party spokesperson Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu said.

“As we speak‚ three ANC volunteers are being rushed to hospital in an ambulance while two others are being treated on the scene.

“We call on all law enforcement agencies to act speedily and arrest these thugs who threaten the democracy of our country by their acts of violence ahead of elections.”

The party called for an immediate response by the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC).