Minister in the Presidency, Mondli Gungubele, has thanked police for rescuing him and his colleagues from a traumatic hostage incident.
VIDEO: SABC News Reporter, Samkele Maseko, outside the St. George’s Hotel in Irene in the aftermath of the violence that ensued when army veterans held Defence Minister, Thandi Modise and two other officials hostage #MinistersHostage #SANDF #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/WWzoSIuSSb
— SABC News (@SABCNews) October 14, 2021
The meeting was called to discuss the plight of the former soldiers of the liberation movements.
The ex-combatants are former members of the ANC’s military wing Umkhonto we Sizwe, the Pan Africanist Congress’s APLA as well as Azanian People’s Organisation’s AZANLA. They are demanding to see President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Gungubele says, “We would like to thank Minister Bheki Cele and all the other security forces for prompt and timeous intervention. We expect the law to follow its course.”
Minister in the Presidency, Mr Mondli Gungubele gives an account of the incident which occurred at St George’s Hotel earlier this evening during a meeting between the Presidential Task Team on Matters of Military Veterans and Military Veterans. pic.twitter.com/RYcNq5Pwbf
— Presidency | South Africa ?? (@PresidencyZA) October 14, 2021
ANC
The African National Congress (ANC) has cautiously reacted to the hostage drama.
ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe says they are hoping to find a solution to the plight of members of former liberation armies.
Mabe has called for negotiations.
He says, “Engagement is key to finding a solution to the problem. Government is always open and is willing to negotiate with the military veterans. The military veterans should never be side-lined or forgotten because they are part and parcel of the ANC’s history.”
