Cape Town - A member of the Patriotic Alliance (PA) has been suspended for allegedly assaulting the party’s provincial deputy leader, Sammy Claassen, after a meeting in Saldanha Bay last week.
In a matter that has been reported to the police, Claassen alleged that he was first threatened by Melvin Petersen when he tried to remove him from the meeting.
“It was a closed meeting called by the West Coast regional executive committee (REC) in Saldanha Bay. While I was busy addressing the meeting I saw someone from Malmesbury, who is not a leader but a member of the PA.
“I called him to order as he was not supposed to be part of the meeting.
“I walked to the parking lot and as I was trying to get into my car this guy was suddenly all over me, pointing his finger at my face and threatening me and swearing at me.
“He basically wanted to assault me. But some of the leaders came between us and took him away. It was a very traumatic experience. It was the first time in my political career that I was attacked in this kind of aggressive manner by a member of my own party,” Claassen said.
But Petersen refuted the allegations, saying he did not assault Claassen but was “standing up for his wife”.
“I stood up for my wife as he verbally abused my wife on several occasions.
So on Friday in a meeting that my wife attended I walked in to use the bathroom and saw Sammy is in the venue, then I decided to stay in the venue. I sat quietly until Sammy spoke.
“There was no assault and no hammers involved. I just wanted to speak to him, man to man.
“Sammy has a private issue with my wife and all I asked him after the meeting was, what is his problem with my wife? This is a private issue, not a political issue.
“I got pulled away and I left it at that, and as he entered his car he swore at me, but I decided not to entertain his rudeness,” he said.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said an assault common case was registered following the incident.
“An assault common case was opened for investigation on January 7 at Vredenburg police. The case docket was transferred to Saldanha for further investigation. Investigation continues, no arrest as yet,” he said.
PA president Gayton McKenzie condemned the incident.
Cape Times