Hlophe gives McKenzie his flowers in parliament, slams Ramaphosa with Mbeki quote

John Hlophe, the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party chief whip gave Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie his flowers and slammed President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday.

Following Ramaphosa’s address at the opening of Parliament on Thursday, Members of Parliament (MPs) debated his plan of action at the Cape Town City Hall on Friday.

Hlophe used his debate to criticise Ramaphosa, and the government of national unity (GNU) and its plans. He also commended McKenzie for being “consistent”.

‘McKenzie is consistent’

Hlophe slammed opposition parties for campaigning against the African National Congress (ANC) before the elections, only to join the party in the GNU.

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“There are parties here which campaigned against the ANC, but when the opportunity to be on the gravy train came, they went for it,” said Hlophe.

“So many parties openly campaigned against the ANC, but when offered blue lights, 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 home affairs ministries, only to end up with arts and culture. Following his appointment, he said he was satisfied with the ministry and would make a difference in the lives of artists and athletes.

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

Hlophe on Ramaphosa and his ‘magic’

Hlophe believes that the GNU should not have been established, calling it “a singularly very 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 formed the so-called GNU on the basis that it was the largest party, you ask yourself, why was that principle not extended to the province of KZN? It’s a fact that MK party won KZN convincingly,” said Hlophe.

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

Hlophe said the GNU would not be able to address the challenges of poor South Africans unless the legacy of apartheid and colonialism is addressed.

‘Nothing has changed’

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

He further 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 make bold to say that South Africa is a country of two nations. One of these nations is white, relatively prosperous, regardless of gender or geographic dispersal. It has ready access to a developed economic, physical, educational, communication and other infrastructure.

“The second and larger nation of South Africa is black and poor, with the worst affected being women
in the rural areas, the black rural population in general and the disabled. This nation lives under conditions of a grossly underdeveloped economic, physical, educational, communication and other infrastructure.”

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

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

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