By Celani Sikhakhane
- Deputy President Paul Mashatile said he only realised his car had been shot at after reaching home.
- The car’s bulletproof windscreen was damaged while he was driving from an ANC meeting last month.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile says he thought someone was throwing stones at his car when it was attacked in what appeared to be an assassination attempt.
He was travelling home on the N12 after attending an ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Boksburg last month when the incident happened.
Mashatile spoke about the attack during a church service at the kwaSizabantu Mission in Maphumulo, north of KwaZulu-Natal, on Sunday.
“You must have heard that the police are investigating. What really happened is that as I was driving from the NEC meeting, my car was hit. Initially, I thought it was stones,” said Mashatile.
“When we got home, the protectors said the impact was too much and wanted to take the car for checking. A bulletproof windscreen is quite strong to be damaged, and that’s why police are doing the investigation.”
He said the windscreen had holes that looked like bullet damage.
Mashatile was welcomed at the church by the kwaSizabantu board of trustees and congregation. He was accompanied by KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport and Human Settlements Siboniso Duma and former Minister for Social Development Bathabile Dlamini.
Mashatile praised the mission’s self-reliance, pointing out that its farm employs over 800 people.
He said they are encouraged by the mission’s focus on job creation and will continue engaging with them on issues of alleged human rights violations.
The kwaSizabantu Mission was founded 50 years ago by the late Reverend Erlo Stegen. It runs its own school, Domine Servitio, an independent English-medium Christian school that offers classes from Grade RR to Grade 12.
Mashatile also laid a wreath at Stegen’s grave during the visit.
He said the government wants to celebrate the mission’s work in promoting self-reliance and using land for job creation.
Pictured above: Deputy President Paul Mashatile during the church service at kwaSizabantu Mission in KwaMaphumulo, north of KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday
Image source: Department of Transport and Human Settlements.
