ANC ‘not surprised’ by video of Dan Plato confrontation

The ANC caucus in Cape Town says it is not surprised by a video of Cape Town mayor Dan Plato confronting a community member in Ocean View on Friday.

“Last week the mayor went to Ocean View, a community that once populated Simon’s Town before it was kicked out by the Group Areas Act. Social media postings of that visit, which saw him accompanied by Cape Town’s egoistical mayco member for safety and security JP Smith, show how the mayor walking around like a fascist dictator and telling a resident to shut up,” ANC caucus spokesperson Fiona Abrahams said.

WATCH: Video of Dan Plato confrontation was ‘edited’

“This was the mayor behaving like a gangster and not like a mayor should. We demand the mayor apologises for telling a resident ‘Just shut up’. Mayor Plato is a disgrace to Cape Town. He should go now.”

Speaking to Refilwe Moloto on Cape Talk on Monday morning, Cape Town mayoral committee member for safety and security JP Smith, however, said the video was edited to only show the mayor losing his cool and not what happened before.

Smith said there was an intention to disrupt the event. He said the mayor was pushed, shoved and jostled before losing his temper and telling the man to leave him alone. After the altercation, the men left.

ALSO READ: Homeless people ask judge to find Dan Plato and JP Smith in contempt of court

“He was pushing, shoving, jostling and stepping on his heels for about a kilometre. If it happened to any other public figure they would not have tolerated it either. It’s not a resident, it’s an activist of a political party playing political games,” Smith said.

“After getting the provocation they were looking for they left and went about recording videos on street corners. It’s election time and political parties seeking to gain favour will play these kinds of political games with serious issues.”

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.