Hlophe presents flowers to McKenzie in parliament

John Hlophe, leader of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, presented flowers to Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie and criticised President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday.

Following Ramaphosa’s speech at the State Opening of Parliament on Thursday, MPs debated his action plan at Cape Town City Hall on Friday.

Hlophe used the debate to criticise Ramaphosa, the Government of National Unity (GNU) and its plans. He also praised McKenzie for her “consistency”.

‘McKenzie is consistent’

Hlophe criticised opposition parties for campaigning against the African National Congress (ANC) ahead of the election, then joining the party in the GNU.

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“There are parties here that campaigned against the ANC, but when they were presented with the opportunity to make money, they took it,” Hlophe said.

“Many parties openly campaigned against the ANC, but when they were given the green light, they suddenly fell in love with the ANC.”

However, McKenzie consistently said he was willing to work with any party.

The PA leader initially wanted the police or interior ministries, but ended up in the arts and culture ministry. After his appointment, he said he was satisfied with the ministry and that he would make a difference in the lives of artists and athletes.

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“I respect Gayton McKenzie, his views have always been clear. He said he would work with any party and he has been consistent in that regard,” Hlophe said.

Hlophe on Ramaphosa and his ‘magic’

Hlophe believes the GNU should not have been created, calling it “a singularly cruel joke by the Ramaphosa faction of the ANC and the Democratic Alliance”.

Although Ramaphosa called on political parties to join the GNU for “nation building”, Hlophe said the president only formed the GNU because he was desperate to hold on to power.

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“If the ANC created the so-called GNU on the basis that it was the largest party, one wonders why that principle was not extended to KZN province. It is a fact that the MK party won in KZN convincingly,” said Hlophe.

“The GNU is formed when there is a crisis. The only crisis is that the ANC has lost its majority.”

Hlophe said the GNU could not address the challenges of poor South Africans unless the legacy of apartheid and colonialism was addressed.

‘Nothing has changed’

He said the nation-building Ramaphosa spoke of would not be achieved in a country where inequality was widespread.

He also quoted former President Thabo Mbeki on inequality.

In 1998, Mbeki spoke of South Africa as one country, but two nations, in his debate on reconciliation and nation-building in the National Assembly.

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Mbeki said: “We therefore dare to say that South Africa is a country of two nations. One of these nations is white, relatively prosperous, regardless of gender or geographical dispersion. It has easy access to a developed economic, physical, educational, communications and other infrastructure.

“South Africa’s second largest nation is black and poor, and women are the hardest hit.
In rural areas, the black rural population in general and the disabled. This nation lives in conditions of great economic, physical, educational, communications and other infrastructure underdevelopment.”

According to Hlophe, nothing has changed since Mbeki’s speech in 1998.

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“My question to you is: By what magic do you hope to forge a national unity of the oppressor and the oppressed, the exploiter and the exploited, the rich capitalist and the toiling and exploited working class?

“How do you expect to sustain the so-called GNU when your interests are fundamentally and directly opposed in the so-called GNU?”