By Zukile Majova
- The ANC has stayed silent on the alleged shooting of Paul Mashatile’s convoy, saying similar plots were often fake.
- Police confirmed three shots hit his vehicle and launched an urgent joint investigation into the attempted attack.
The African National Congress says it won’t rush to believe claims of an attempt to assassinate its deputy president Paul Mashatile — because it has seen too many fake plots before.
Mashatile revealed over the weekend that someone fired shots at his motorcade while he was heading home from a national executive committee meeting.
He said at first he thought someone was throwing stones at the convoy, but later found out it was a more serious attack.
Police confirmed that the Deputy President’s vehicle was hit three times. The South African Police Service and the Presidential Protection Unit have launched a joint investigation.
Despite this, the ANC has stayed quiet on the matter. Party treasurer Gwen Ramokgopa said they needed more facts before issuing any statement.
There has also been silence from President Cyril Ramaphosa.
In the ANC’s tripartite alliance — which includes the South African Communist Party, Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African National Civic Organisation — only the Communist Party has spoken out.
The Economic Freedom Fighters have called for more openness about what really happened.
Ramokgopa said the party has learned from past incidents where similar claims were never proven.
This includes several reports of plots to kill former president Jacob Zuma, which the government never confirmed.
The government also kept quiet about a robbery at Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm, where millions of rands in foreign currency were hidden in his sofas and later stolen.
Police reportedly launched an unofficial investigation into that robbery, without opening a proper case.
Now, questions are being raised about whether the latest shooting incident will be handled any differently.
Pictured above:ANC treasurer Dr Gwen Ramokgopa.
Image source: X
