South Africa’s Vice President survives assassination attempt
he says he thought the bullets were stones being pelted at his car
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -South African police are investigating an attempted assassination of Vice President Paul Mashatile, he confirmed on Sunday.
Mashatile’s vehicle was fired upon six times while in a motorcade on the N12 highway, shortly after leaving a national executive meeting of the African National Congress (ANC) in Boksburg on March 31.
The incident, which was kept under wraps until a Sunday newspaper report, only became public recently.
Mashatile spoke about the attack as he left a church service in KwaSizabantu, KwaZulu-Natal on April 20.
He explained:
“What actually happened is that as I was driving from the NEC meeting, my car was struck by what I initially thought were stones. But when we got home, my security team told me the impact was too severe.
“They took the vehicle for an inspection because a bulletproof windshield is too tough to be damaged that way.
“That’s when the investigation started, he said.
Mashatile’s spokesperson, Keith Khoza, confirmed that six bullets had hit the vehicle’s bulletproof windshield.
Despite the harrowing experience, Mashatile remained unfazed and emphasized that he would continue with his official duties, stating
, “I’m well protected.”
