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By Citizen Reporter

Journalist


We must forgive state capture like we ‘forgave apartheid’, says Bathabile Dlamini

If South Africans were able to forgive apartheid, why is it difficult to forgive state capture?


That’s the question posed by ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) president Bathabile Dlamini at the weekend.

In an interview with News24 at the ANC’s elective conference in Nasrec, Dlamini reportedly said citizens must practise forgiveness relating to state capture, in the same way they forgave apartheid.

“South Africans, why are they not forgiving? They always want to label people. Why are they not saying, ‘let’s listen to Carl [Niehaus] for a change and give him an opportunity to change’,” Dlamini told the news website.

She was responding to a question about the lack of consequences for people who have been implicated in the controversial leaked Gupta emails, such as ANC national executive committee member Carl Niehaus and Free State chairperson Ace Magashule.

Dlamini claimed citizens were being hypocritical.

“There are people who have licence to do as they please in the country, and we keep quiet about that, and there are people that we follow very closely and do not give them a chance to recover.

“If we were able to forgive apartheid, why is it difficult to forgive someone else, and ensure there is remedial action on some of the issues?”

The ANCWL leader also said state capture did not begin with the Guptas, President Jacob Zuma’s benefactors.

“Where does state capture start? Are they [the Guptas] the only ones that are involved in state capture? They are not the only ones,” she said.

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