Body in talks with De Klerk Foundation over utterances
THE debate on the State of the Nation Address descended into chaos and turned into mudslinging between the EFF and ANC.
EFF members came out in support of their leader, Julius Malema, after he was thrown out of the House for refusing to withdraw his allegations that President Cyril Ramaphosa abused his late wife, Nomazizi Mtshotshisa.
But other opposition parties said they were tired of Parliament being turned into a circus by the EFF.
ANC MPs said they would not allow Malema to get away with the allegations. After Malema left the House ANC MP Tandi Mahlabehlala accused presiding officers of failing to rein in the EFF and of ignoring their raised hands. Other parties echoed her sentiments, saying the presiding officers had done the same thing last week when the House degenerated into chaos when Ramaphosa was delivering his Sona.
Malema had said he was suing ANC MP Boy Mamabolo for R1 million after Mamabolo accused him of abusing his wife. DA, ANC, ACDP and NFP MPs said they would not allow domestic abuse and gender-based violence to be used as a political point-scoring match.
NFP MP Emam Shaik Manzoor said: “It cannot be that we make cheap political point-scoring on such a sensitive matter.”
Natasha Mazzone, the DA chief whip, said she was concerned that such a sensitive issue was being turned into a scoring match for politicians as did ACDP leader Reverend Kenneth Meshoe.
Ramaphosa had last year denied similar allegations that he was abusing his current wife, Dr Tshepo Motsepe. She had denied this allegation, ANC MPs said, adding that Malema was now turning to the late Mtshotshisa. Malema warned he had more names of ANC leaders abusing their partners.
THE National Foundations Dialogue Initiative (NFDI) says it is both surprised and disappointed by the FW de Klerk Foundation, which drew the ire of the nation when it denied that apartheid was a crime against humanity.
Nomhle Chanca, the chairperson of the initiative, which represents several foundations named after stalwarts and pursues a reconciliation goal, said they were engaged in intense discussion with the foundation regarding the apartheid president’s remarks, as well as the statement released by the foundation.
This comes amid calls by some members of the initiative, like the Ahmed Kathrada foundation, for a review of the membership of the De Klerk foundation.
“The NFDI has been both surprised and disappointed regarding the events that had taken place over the past few days. Our discussions with the De Klerk Foundation are not yet concluded and the position of the De Klerk
Foundation has been fluid; perhaps as a result of their current engagements,” Chanca said.
Yesterday the ANC weighed in and said his retraction and apology should be followed by deeds confirming that he was indeed sorry.
“The sincerity of Mr De Klerk’s apology will be tested by his posture to selflessly commit both in word and in deed towards the advancement of the ongoing reconstruction and development project through nation-building in his community,” the party said.
Speaking for the first time about the matter since last week’s chaos in Parliament, Inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi, a president emeritus of the IFP, said: “His denial opened a wound that remains in the heart of millions of South Africans. Yet when he was challenged on it, he did not apologise. Instead, he dug in his heels and presented a statement through the foundation dismissing the legitimacy of the UN’s convention which classified apartheid as a crime against humanity.”
Adding his voice on the matter, Nelson Mandela’s grandson, Melisizwe Mandela of Vukani Community Development, said on top of losing the Nobel Peace Prize, he must also lose his perks as a former president.
“The ANC must not only stop inviting De Klerk to public gatherings, it must also use the state it controls to stop his monthly salary as he was not a democratically elected president,” Mandela said.
As a former president, De Klerk is paid well over R3 million a year. He gets medical care and security from the state. He also keeps a small staff in his private office.