"MEC Mlibo Qoboshiyane was whisked away by his security detail following a potential security risk identified ahead of his meeting with the Ward 41 community at Chatty Hall in Port Elizabeth this morning," Mvusiwekhaya Sicwetsha said in a statement.

Qoboshiyane was meant to visit the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro following violent protests in the area.

Sicwetsha said the MEC still wanted to attend the meeting.

"No one will stop him from addressing the local community in the Metro or anywhere else," said Sicwetsha.

Earlier in the day the MEC had visited community members whose homes had been torched earlier in the week.

"I will never understand what would inspire another human being to act in this fashion. It is inhumane to see these families without homes," Qoboshiyane was quoted as saying.

"Those who torched these homes have no heart, they put the lives of children and women at risk."

"This violent conduct is not related to service delivery at all because this community has impressive service delivery programmes like houses, roads, energy and water," said Qoboshiyane.

Qoboshiyane appealed to police to do a "solid investigation" so they could present a "winnable case" to the courts.