Ian Cameron and 2 DA Members of Parliament Attacked During Oversight Visit in Western Cape

• Democratic Alliance members of Parliament Ian Cameron, Lisa-Mare Schickerling, and Nicholas Gotsell were attacked in the Western Cape
• The MPs conducted an oversight visit in Phillipi when they were attacked by members of the community
• They sustained injuries, and South Africans commented on the state of crime in the country, which targets politicians, too

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist based in Johannesburg, South Africa, covered a range of criminal activities, including cash-in-transit heists, kidnappings, taxi violence, police investigations, police shootouts, and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.

PHILLIPI, WESTERN CAPE —Democratic Alliance members of Parliament Ian Cameron, Nicholas Gotsell, and Lisa-Mare Schickerling were attacked on 19 August 2025 as they left the South African Police Training College in Phillipi, Western Cape.

According to eNCA, the trio was conducting an oversight in the area when the attack happened. Schickerling and Cameron are members of the Portfolio committee on Police, which Cameron chairs, and Gotsell is a National Council of Provinces delegate and a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Defence.

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A group of men who were reportedly armed with bricks surrounded their vehicle at the traffic light. They reportedly shattered the vehicle's windows, causing injuries. The vehicle they were in sped away and drove to a nearby petrol station. Cameron suffered injuries to his chin and lip, and Gotsell suffered lacerations to his head. Schickerling was hit on the back of the head with a brick.

Politicians who were attacked

On 15 November 2022, members of the African National Congress assaulted Tshwane's former speaker, Murunwa Makwarela, and other council members. A video of the incident went viral, and in the clip, members were seen pushing the speaker and other Members of the Mayoral Committee.

Members of the DA were attacked while putting up posters in Attridgeville, Tshwane, in May 2024, weeks before the 2024 general elections. The party's members were hanging posters, and one of them fell during the attack.

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What did South Africans say?

Netizens commenting on Facebook weighed in on the attack.

Keith Marthinus asked:

"What did they expect? That they would be treated differently from ordinary citizens who wander into that particular area?"

Lee-Roy Mankayi said:

"That's what happens when you pretend some problems don't exist."

Gumgedle said:

"Our cars are hit there every day, and we don't make the news."

Freddy said:

"Possible perpetrators carrying out those deeds on orders of certain political parties, politicians, and gang bosses with possible links with law enforcement agencies."

Johan said:

"That is what happens to normal, ordinary citizens daily in the city. Welcome to Cape Town."

ANC member victim of mob justice for alleged assault

In a related article, Briefly News reported that members of the KwaDukuza community in KwaZulu-Natal reportedly attacked ANC leader Mlekeleli Gcabashe. This was after he allegedly attacked his wife.

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The incident reportedly happened in full view of the public. The community assaulted Gcabashe before the police intervened.

Source: Briefly News