Maimane says charges against Clifton Beach protestors are rumours

Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane said on Thursday that he could not comment on charges against Clifton Beach protestors as they were “rumours”. The DA leader was in Soweto, along with Solly Msimanga, at the party’s registration poster event when he was asked for comment on the charges.

“Where are the charges against protestors? I can’t respond respond to rumours, not true,” he said.

In a video posted on social media by @thenextbarack, Maimane further defended his party against those who said the party delayed its response to the Clifton Beach furore that shook Cape Town last week.

He said there was no delay as Cape Town mayor Dan Plato was there to deal with the matter. He further reiterated that private security PPA’s actions were wrong and should be dealt with.

“There was no delay whatsoever. The fact of the matter is that, at Clifton Beach, the mayor of Cape Town was there. It’s an issue of government. There is a question about security company that entered wrongfully, all beaches in this country are accessible to all citizens and the actions of that security company were wrong and must be dealt with.

“And it was swift and it was immediate because the government of the City of Cape Town was there dealing with the matter. PPA has already been dealt with, remember these private security companies are accountable elsewhere.

“We’re saying now, without question, we will deal with the security company, PPA. The fact of the matter is that all beaches in South Africa are all accessible, we’re committed to building one South Africa for all and ultimately, the mayor of Cape Town was on site to deal with them,” he said.

Also read: ‘Shem,’ says Malema after Maimane’s comment on Clifton Beach

Watch the video below posted on Twitter by @the nextbarack:

So people were asking @MmusiMaimane soft questions. Then I got a chance. Shappa Mighti Shappa.

Tell me if I asked questions you care about. @Our_DA Soweto voter registration event. pic.twitter.com/5eK30hj93w

— Africa Research Desk (@MightiJamie) January 3, 2019

The City of Cape Town, however, confirmed on Sunday it would lay animal cruelty charges against a group who ritually slaughtered a sheep at the beach.

Protesters against alleged racism at the beach slaughtered a sheep in what they claimed was a traditional ceremony to ward off evil and drive out racism.

It is illegal to slaughter an animal in a public place without a permit and animal-rights activists were also on the beach to protest against the act, which they said amounted to animal cruelty.

The protest was organised and led by former Rhodes Must Mall and Fees Must Fall leader Chumani Maxwele.

Cape Town mayoral committee member for safety and security JP Smith said the group did not have a permit to slaughter the sheep and the police had been asked to prevent them from bringing it to the beach.

The sheep was in effect sneaked on to the beach from an adjacent beach by being carried over the rocks, he said.

Smith claimed that a senior SA Police Service member allegedly overreached his authority by allowing the ritual to continue after it became clear the sheep was not dead, as initially thought. He said charges would also be laid against the officer.

Read more: City of Cape Town to lay charges against Clifton beach sheep killers

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