Pretoria – South African Communist Party general secretary Blade Nzimande has strongly condemned demonstrations held outside his deputy Solly Mapaila’s home.
"We must really strongly condemn such actions, in fact they must be called what they are supposed to be called, its thuggery," he told journalists.
Speaking on the sidelines of labour federation Cosatu’s central committee meeting in Irene, Nzimande said protests at private homes of politicians should never happen, in spite of political differences.
On Tuesday, people purporting to be members of the ANC’s liberation army Umkhonto We Sizwe protested outside Mapaila’s home in defence of President Jacob Zuma.
Mapaila has been one of the president’s loudest critics, calling for him to step down as South Africa’s head of state.
The SACP raised concerns for Mapaila’s life in April, when it claimed that video footage, shot by News24 at the 24th year commemoration of its former leader Chris Hani’s murder, showed a gunman who was set to assassinate Mapaila.