Members of the DA and of the ANC are demonstrating outside the Vereeniging Magistrate's Court where Midvaal mayor Bongani Baloyi was appearing on assault charges on Monday.

Baloyi is appearing together with the man he laid charges against who also accused him of assault.

The two groups marched up and down outside court singing Struggle songs.

Baloyi told Sowetan that on Saturday he was hosting a tree-planting event in Savanna City when a group of people, some in ANC T-shirts, arrived and disrupted proceedings. The group was also carrying an ANC flag.

One of the group members tried to take a microphone from Baloyi and he pushed him back, the mayor said. The man then grabbed a rock and struck Baloyi on the mouth.

The tree-planting event had to be stopped. Baloyi said he went to the De Deur police station to lay charges. But the man he was accusing of assault also arrived to lay charges against him. Police then decided to arrest both men and they were released on R500 bail each.