Tshwane DA whip has heart attack in fight with ANC

The DA's Chief Whip in the Tshwane metro council, Janho Engelbrecht, has suffered a mild heart attack during a heated argument with the ANC, according to a report on Wednesday.

Engelbrecht, 39, had been attending a meeting of the Tshwane council's rules and ethics committee in the Pretoria city centre on Tuesday.

According to Beeld newspaper, he lost his temper when the African National Congress announced that it was placing on the agenda the expulsion of the Democratic Alliance's leader in the Tshwane council Brandon Topham.

Speaker Morokane Mosupyoe had clashed with Topham at the past two council meetings and on Tuesday proposed a 60-day expulsion.

Engelbrecht voiced a furious objection and shortly afterwards started feeling unwell.

He was rushed to the cardiac intensive care unit at the Unitas Hospital in Centurion. He reportedly felt a lot better by Wednesday.

"It seems that I suffered a light heart attack," said Engelbrecht.

Topham said Engelbrecht would have to take it easier in future, but that this was often easier said than done.

"You shouldn't compromise your health, but it's hard not to get worked up when the ANC makes a mockery of our democracy like they did at Tuesday's council meeting," he said.