WATCH: Ramaphosa calls for calm after 16 people injured in ANC-IFP clash

President Cyril Ramaphosa has reiterated that violence will not be tolerated ahead of the national and provincial elections in May.

This comes after at least 16 people were injured when African National Congress (ANC) and Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) members clashed in the province over the weekend

The IFP accused the governing party’s provincial chairperson Siboniso Duma of disrespecting Amazulu King Misuzulu ka Zwelithini and the Zulu nation during the 110th Anniversary of King Dinuzulu ka Cetshwayo in KwaNongoma on Saturday afternoon.

Watch President Cyril Ramaphosa speaking about the violence between the ANC and IFP

In videos circulating on social media, Duma can be seen grabbing the microphone from the Zulu prime minister, Thulasizwe Buthelezi.

It is understood women and children were injured in the altercation. A 37-year-old woman was severely beaten and suffered head injuries during the clashes in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).

ALSO READ: WATCH: ‘Anyone who is threatening any form of unrest will be arrested,’ warns Ramaphosa

Calm before elections

Ramaphosa has called for calm ahead of the elections.

“Obviously, as the ANC, we abhor violence, we are totally against violence. We want these elections to be run on a non-violence basis where the electorate, people who want to go and vote are able to exercise  their right and their choice without being coerced or threatened and without any fear whatsoever.

“There is no place for violence in the democratic South Africa that we have become and we call on all South Africans to be totally against violence and should not participate in any violent activities. We call on leaders of various political parties to call on their members to desist from using violence including articulating violent statements,” Ramaphosa said.

Political intolerance

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube said King Misuzulu ka Zwelithini expressed his discontent at the ANC-IFP attacks.

Dube-Ncube said they have “worked very hard to rid this province of political intolerance and political violence.”

“We must reject leaders who want to take us back to the pre 2004 era of massacres and violence. The event  in KwaCeza was organized by government on behalf of all South Africans. For people to attack innocent civilians in such an event, is a frontal attack on the state and a declaration of war on our hard-worn constitutional democracy.

“As such, we call upon the law enforcement agencies to leave no stone unturned to apprehend these dangerous people whose dastardly deeds can cause instability in our province” said Dube-Ncube.

Violence

Dube-Ncube urged every peace-loving South African to condemn this violence in the strongest possible term. She added that such attacks, especially on women, perpetuate gender-based violence and femicide and the perpetrators should be brought to book.

ALSO READ: IFP accuses ANC leader of disrespecting King Misuzulu, Zulu nation after mic grab incident