There was chaos at Mitchells Plain Town Centre on Tuesday morning as new DA leader Mmusi Maimane embarked on a political rally. Despite the wet weather, hundreds of DA supporters came to out to hear Maimane, along with DA Provincial Leader and Mayor Patricia De Lille. The rally forms part of the Freedom, Fairness & Opportunity Tour, in line with Maimane’s Vision2029 campaign.

“Viva DA! Viva! We are here to talk about Freedom, Fairness and Opportunity!” Maimane told the crowd over the loudspeaker.

“You can’t say ’cause you’re black you must vote for one party. The DA is building a party for all.”

Meanwhile, shop owners in the Town Centre are incensed as trading has come to a standstill. Kulsum Baker, the vice chairperson of the Mitchell’s Plain United Hawkers Forum said shops had to be closed, due to the masses of people at the shopping centre.

“We are very disturbed. We pay rent to them [the City] and they can’t just keep a public rally here, and close down our shops. We have our rights as business people. This is not on!”

The forum’s secretary Jasmine Harris, the owner of Jasmine’s Takeaways, said she was at hospital and rushed to her shop, after hearing about the commotion. She claimed authorities “did not follow protocol” in informing shopowners about the rally.

“My shop is closed right now because it’s packed with supporters. The Mayor was outside in the parking lot, but because it’s raining, she’s under the roof now,” she said.

“They [the DA and the City] mustn’t come here unannounced because they think they are the DA and can just do what they want. We have businesses to run…they don’t put food on our tables.”

With the Mitchell’s Plain Town Centre a hotspot for drug and gang-related crime, the party leadership used the opportunity to tackle the issue. Two weeks ago, the Town Centre was was flooded by police officials and the army in anti crime raids known as Operation Fiela.

Maimane told the crowd there is a need for specialised units in SAPS that deals with drugs in the Western Cape. Earlier, De Lille told supporters that community members had to be involved in the fight against drugs and crime.

“It’s up to you as the community of Mitchells Plain to say “ons is gatvol with drugs!” De Lille shouted.

“We can’t allow drugs in our communities. Where you see drugs, report it to the City!”

Harris believes the DA is simply using the drug and crime issue in Mitchells Plain for political gain.

“My problem is that several emails were sent to the Mayor to ask her to address the drug and prostitution problem that we have here in Town Centre. Today she is here, what for?” said Harris, adding that the matter would be taken up with the City of Cape Town and the DA.

The DA said it could not comment on whether traders had been informed of the rally. VOC