ANC Deputy President Paul Mashatile has once again apologised for the behaviour of his bodyguards after they pushed and “manhandled” a Khayelitsha resident in his own home.
On Tuesday, Mashatile was conducting door-to-door activities in the township of Khayelitsha in Cape Town, ahead of the ANC’s January 8 Statement on Saturday.
The ANC will celebrate its 113th birthday anniversary at Mandela Park Stadium in Khayelitsha, Cape Town.
Scuffle during door-to-door activities
Mashatile was accompanied by Basic Education Deputy Minister Reginah Mhaule, ANC Gauteng chairperson Panyaza Lesufi and several ANC Western Cape provincial and regional leaders.
During Mashatile’s door-to-door activities, he stopped at the house of a woman who runs a soup kitchen in the community.
According to videos circulating on social media, while Mashatile was seated on a couch in what looked like a lounge inside the woman’s house, a man, who later turned out to be the son of the homeowner, entered the house carrying a child on his hip. He went to the lounge and shouted that “the politicians must leave his house”.
Mashatile’s VIP protection unit security members grabbed the man and pushed him out of the house. During the scuffle, the man continued shouting that the politicians must leave his house, and that he cannot be “manhandled” and taken out of his own house.
House owner’s son wanted Mashatile out of the house
Mashatile apologised to the woman and her son for the scuffle that broke out and for the pushing meted against the man by his bodyguards.
“They are running a soup kitchen, feeding neighbouring communities that do not have much. The [deputy] minister [Mhaule] will come back to see how we can assist them. There was a bit of a scuffle with one of the sons of the house. The security did not know he stays there.
VIP protection unit unaware that he was the son
“They blocked him. He was very unhappy. We apologised. I am sure he understood. We are dealing with a lot of crowds. We try to control them,” said Mashatile.
Mashatile said they did not want many people to get in the house.
“He was unhappy that it is his house. It is sorted out,” said Mashatile to members of the media outside the house.
Eight former VIP presidential protection unit in court
Meanwhile, eight former members of Mashatile’s VIP presidential protection unit are currently on trial at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court after they were caught on video physically assaulting two motorists on the N1 highway in July 2023.
The eight accused are charged with a number of offences. These include assault, pointing a handgun, reckless and negligent driving, and malicious damage to property.
The suspects are currently out on R10, 000 bail each. They have all pleaded not guilty to all the charges they are facing.
The trial resumes on February 3.
