DA says Msimanga will consider laying charges against the man who assaulted him

In a video widely circulated on social media platforms, DA Gauteng provincial leader and former Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga can be seen bleeding from the mouth and head while being accused by the assailant of being a thief who owes him more than R1 million.

PRETORIA, May 6 (ANA) – The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng on Thursday said it welcomes the swift response by the South African Police Service and the arrest of the assailant who allegedly assaulted DA Gauteng provincial leader and former Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga earlier in the day.

In a video widely circulated on social media platforms, Msimanga can be seen bleeding from the mouth and head while being accused by the assailant of being a thief who owes him more than R1 million (about US$70,000).

“Mr Msimanga categorically asserts that he owes no one any such money and will consider laying charges against the assailant. Mr Msimanga was on a social visit to his cousin in Benoni when the assailant, a business partner of the cousin, attacked Mr Msimanga’s family member,” said Fred Nel, DA’s Gauteng provincial chairperson.

“Mr Msimanga tried to intervene, when he too was attacked. While on video, the assailant then accused Mr Msimanga, who was on the phone to police, that Mr Msimanga owed him money.”

Nel said the assailant was arrested by police and “has since publicly apologised to Mr Msimanga, confirming that no monies (money) was owed to him by Mr Msimanga”.

The DA added that the unidentified assailant also offered to pay the medical expenses and other losses incurred by Msimanga in the process.

“The DA condemns this vicious and criminal attack on the provincial leader. Our country’s constitution asserts the rule of law as a founding provision. If there is a disagreement, whether involving money or not, South Africans should commit to working through the parameters of the law to resolve their differences,” said Nel.

“No one has the right to take the law into their own hands and compromise the rights of others, as what occurred today. Violence is definitely not the answer.”

The opposition party said since the attack was a personal nature, “the DA will respect Mr Msimanga’s decision on how to further deal with the matter”.

– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Yaron Blecher