The SA Communist Party (SACP) said on Wednesday that its second deputy general secretary Solly Mapaila was the target of an assassination attempt on Monday at an event to commemorate late SACP leader Chris Hani.

“On Monday 10 April a rogue element produced a gun aimed at Solly Mapaila‚ SACP Second Deputy General Secretary‚” the SACP said in a statement.

“Mapaila was ascending the stage to deliver the Party’s message at the commemoration of the 24th anniversary of the assassination of Chris Hani‚ former SACP General Secretary who was murdered on 10 April 1993.”

Anti-Zuma marches racism against blacks‚ says Zuma President Jacob Zuma‚ the keynote speaker at a wreath-laying ceremony commemorating the 24th anniversary of Chris Hani's death‚ honoured Hani's legacy and made specific reference to his intolerance for racism.

The alleged gunman was caught on video:



He reportedly aimed the weapon at Mapaila as he prepared to address the gathering in Ekurhuleni‚ where President Jacob Zuma was also in attendance.

“The gunman aborted his mission after what seemed to be an alert to him that he was exposed. In addition Mapaila had an umbrella because of a heavy rainstorm. This caused a distraction when he ascended the stage where he shortly announced that he could no longer deliver the SACP message because of the storm and quickly exited the podium‚” the SACP said.

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Tensions have been heightened in the ANC-SACP alliance after the leftists called on Zuma to step down following the president’s controversial cabinet reshuffle last month.

The alleged assassination attempt follows killings late last year in Durban‚ which were also linked to conflict between the two alliance partners.

Inchanga on knife edge Inchanga remains on tenterhooks following yet another double killing and with the delicate peace process in the area on the brink of collapse.

The SACP said it would report the latest incident to the police and discuss it with the ANC and other alliance partners.