Durban — The DA IN KwaZulu-Natal has lashed out at the ANC and the EFF for what it called using Inkosi Mangosuthu Buthelezi’s death for political gains.
Both the EFF and the ANC national leadership visited KwaPhindangene residence in Ulundi north of the province to pay their respects on Tuesday.
During their visits, the parties indicated their willingness to form a coalition with the IFP after next year’s elections in honour of Buthelezi’s legacy and wishes. However, the DA labelled them as “political hyenas” who were “unashamed to scavenge” for political points over Inkosi Buthelezi’s dead body.
DA provincial chairperson Dean Macpherson said it was unfortunate for the ANC and the EFF to use Buthelezi’s death to score political points, because they did not want him while he was still alive. He added that it was recorded that despite Buthelezi’s impassioned plea to reconcile with the ANC before his death, the party never took him seriously and ignored him until his death.
On the EFF gestures, Macpherson said it was also known that the party dumped the IFP after demanding it be given uMhlathuze Local Municipality, which the IFP rejected. Macpherson questioned the party’s U-turn since the IFP had not changed its position on uMhlathuze.
The IFP and the DA have cemented their relationship in uMhlathuze, which resulted in the appointment of the DA deputy mayor Christo Botha.
“The ANC and the EFF made a fool of Shenge’s grieving family by saying things they knew wouldn’t happen. If the ANC and the EFF really wanted to restore the working relationship with Inkosi Buthelezi and the IFP why did they wait for him to die first? These are political hyenas who went to KwaPhindangene to scavenge for political points over uMntwana’s dead body,” said Macpherson.
ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile, who led his party’s delegation to KwaPhindangene on Tuesday, said the ANC would ensure that the IFP and ANC’s relationship was restored to fulfil Buthelezi’s wishes. He added that uMntwana waKwaPhindangene died crying for the renewal of his ANC membership card and that after the funeral the party would meet the IFP to finish the reconciliation process.
When asked what caused the delay until Buthelezi’s death, Mashatile said the party was still processing the matter and the office of the secretary-general was busy processing Buthelezi’s membership card. He did not want to respond to questions on how their working relationship would be restored since the IFP was now part of the moonshot pact.
EFF deputy president Floyd Shivhambu called on the IFP not to use Buthelezi’s death to cause internal strife. He said the IFP would be needed next year to form a government that would not be led by the ANC.
IFP president Velenkosini Hlabisa said the ball was in the ANC’s court. The ANC’s seriousness in reconciling with the IFP was also questioned by IFP stalwart Musa Zondi, who is now spokesperson for the Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Foundation.
Speaking at Buthelezi’s memorial on Wednesday, Zondi said that as much he welcomed the ANC’s promise to restore working relations with the IFP, he wanted to know why the ANC had waited until Buthelezi’s death.
Nelson Mandela Bay University-based political analyst Professor Bheki Mngomezulu said he preferred to adopt a wait-and-see approach since politicians were good at making promises, but lacking in implementation.
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