The Democratic Alliance (DA) has released a statement expressing its condemnation regarding what they describe as a physical attack on Midvaal mayor Bongani Baloyi.

The assault took place on September 1, during an event where the community commemorated Arbor Day.

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“The event started peacefully, however, when the mayor was about to go to the podium to address the community, ANC members approached him and tried to take the microphone away from him. They physically pushed the mayor and hit him with a rock,” the statement read.

They also said that Baloyi was attacked while on his way to open a case of assault with intention to cause grievous bodily harm, saying that one of the suspects followed him and told police that the mayor attacked him.

“Absurdly, the mayor was also placed under arrest along with the suspect,” the statement explains.

The ANC members accused of carrying out the assault are ANC members in ward 11, Savannah City.

“This is totally unacceptable, as an attack on the mayor is the attack on the residents of Midvaal. It is also an attack on democracy,” the party said.

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