DA Eastern Cape leader claims he almost didn’t survive attempt on his life

Nqaba Bhanga, DA Eastern Cape leader and a councillor in Port Elizabeth, claims he almost didn’t survive what he thought was an attempt on his life on Tuesday evening.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana said the incident was under investigation.

On Tuesday at about 10pm, Bhanga said, he had been driving toward Admiralty Road in Summerstrand after leaving a meeting.

It was then that he noticed a vehicle following him. He turned into Rubin Crescent and noticed that the vehicle was still following him.

So, he decided not to go to his home. As he drove, he later noticed that there were two vehicles following him.

He accelerated and drove toward the police station. When he realised that he missed the turn to the police station, he stopped his car and ran into Paxton Hotel and called the police from there, said Kinana.

He said he had to find his way through construction sites, cutting his hands in the process, before taking refuge at the hotel.

Speaking to News24, Bhanga confirmed the details of the incident which Kinana laid out.

It was a “very scary situation” he said, adding that he suspected it was “related to the removal of the executive mayor here”.

News24 previously reported that the DA’s efforts to oust mayor Mongameli Bobani were bolstered by EFF leader Julius Malema who announced that he would no longer vote with the ANC in hung metros. Malema announced during a media briefing at the party’s headquarters in July that the EFF would not vote with any party, including the DA and ANC, in council.

The DA in the metro had been in closed talks with the ANC to oust Bobani, and, according to an insider, had even offered the ANC a mayoral position if it helped to oust the mayor, News24 reported.

Bhanga, who scrambled through buildings and construction sites with bleeding hands to get to safety, said the manner in which he was chased indicated that “these people had a mission. That was not a hijack attempt. Something big was planned.”

He will, however, continue to serve Port Elizabeth.

“We are not turning back, the mayor must go,” he said.

“This is my home. Where do I run to?”

An attempted hijacking case has been opened in Humewood.

“No further details will be made available at this stage. No arrest has been made at this stage. The investigation continues,” said Kinana.

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