Gautrain bomb threat ‘false alarm’

File picture: Yolande du Preez

File picture: Yolande du Preez

Published Nov 29, 2015

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Johannesburg - The ANC on Saturday dismissed suggestions by an unidentified national executive committee (NEC) member regarding a supposed “terrorist” attack on the Gautrain.

“The African National Congress has noted with dismay an unfounded claim by a member of the ANC NEC who allegedly told a gathering earlier on Saturday that President Jacob Zuma has said there are people planning a terrorist act to blow up the Gautrain,” ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa said in a second statement on the matter.

It was unfortunate that general advice the president was giving to the NEC for the country to remain vigilant because of the prevailing global climate, where the world was on guard against terrorism, had been grossly distorted.

Zuma’s remarks were “to say that where there have been attacks of terror, these have been mainly directed at public places, social infrastructure, and public transportation, including trains, in order to create a culture of fear amongst the citizenry”.

It was sad and extremely unfortunate that a broad observation on incidents elsewhere in the world had been misconstrued as an imminent threat in South Africa, Kodwa said.

He did not name the NEC member concerned.

African News Agency

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