WATCH: EFF and Land Party throw chairs at each other during SABC debate
While BLF and Good members were also present at the debate, both parties have denied involvement in the chaos.
An SABC elections debate in Hout Bay erupted in chaos as members of the Economic Freedom Fighters and members of the newly formed Land Party attacked each other with chairs.
TV footage shows absolute mayhem as the parties are seen hurling chairs around the room.
SABC presenter Leanne Manas took to Twitter to confirm what had happened.
“The team are fine but the debate has been called off,” she said.
This was reportedly the second part of the debate, with proceedings during the first part having been relatively peaceful.
What started the battle is not yet known.
It was earlier reported that, based on reports in News24, members of Black First Land First (BLF) and Good were also involved in the skirmish.
However, BLF spokesperson Lindsay Maasdorp said he wants to make it “explicitly clear” that his party was not involved in the violence.
Maasdorp said BLF “was in no way involved in black on black violence, in fact the Western Cape chairperson Ncedisa Mpemnyama was on the floor when the EFF and Land Party started throwing chairs at each other, and he stated ‘peace amongst blacks, war against the enemy’ and called for these comrades from different political organisations to practice discipline”.
Good leader Patricia De Lille has also distanced herself from what transpired, taking to Twitter to denounce the “shameful behaviour of political party supporters attending [the] election ‘debate’ in Hout Bay”.
De Lille appears to have denied her party’s involvement in a series of tweets addressing the disparity between the rich and poor in Hout Bay.
“I am issuing this statement, because it is more-or-less what I planned to say at the public debate in Hout Bay this morning, which was violently disrupted by supporters of certain political parties,” she tweeted.
Chaos erupts at the SABC's election debate in Hout Bay #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/IZrlcDBgFm
— SABC News (@SABCNews) April 5, 2019
Our #Morninglive election broadcast in #Houtbay #Hangberg erupts in chaos. The team are fine but the debate has been called off! pic.twitter.com/SP5JoIbgji
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— Leanne Manas (@LeanneManas) April 5, 2019
Fight outbreak at the HoutBay debate, between Land Party and EFF #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/PE0KGoPGu2
— Elijah (@ElijahSandla) April 5, 2019
For how long do the privileged believe that the people of Imizamo Yethu will sit contentedly in their shacks on the hill, without water or proper sanitation, gazing at the splendid properties sprawling across the rest of the valley? pic.twitter.com/VTQ8RPdpMU
— Patricia de Lille (@PatriciaDeLille) April 5, 2019
I am issuing this statement, because it is more-or-less what I planned to say at the public debate in Hout Bay this morning, which was violently disrupted by supporters of certain political parties.
— Patricia de Lille (@PatriciaDeLille) April 5, 2019
Shameful behaviour of political party supporters attending election "debate" in Hout Bay. Party leaders must teach their followers to improve their arguments; not raise their voices or hurl chairs.
— Patricia de Lille (@PatriciaDeLille) April 5, 2019
UPDATE: This article was updated to reflect BLF and Good’s assertion that they were not involved in the violence. 13:38, April 5.
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