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By Citizen Reporter

Journalist


Dlamini-Zuma: We can’t be told by De Klerk what to do

‘They will come between us and bash us one way or another, but we must keep moving.’


African National Congress (ANC) presidential hopeful Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has apparently slammed former president FW De Klerk, saying opposition forces could not dictate to South Africa any longer.

According to a News24 report, Dlamini-Zuma, speaking at an interfaith gala dinner in Pietermaritzburg on Thursday evening, said De Klerk – who is part of the National Foundations Dialogue Initiative – could not tell the ANC what to do.

“We cannot be told by the opposition what to do. We cannot be told by De Klerk what to do. Never. Never. Who do they represent?” she was quoted as saying.

While colonisers generally left the countries they occupied, Dlamini-Zuma said South Africa was different. She also said citizens needed to be “equal everywhere”, not only through universal suffrage, but also through the ownership of the economy, the news website reported.

“If we are not united as the ANC … as society, we will not be able to do it. They will come between us and bash us one way or another, but we must keep moving,” she said.

The former AU chairperson said the governing party should not be intimidated by opposition parties and rush for cover whenever they opposed anything the ANC did.

“The opposition is there to oppose by definition. I don’t know why we get worried when they do. It doesn’t mean you must follow it. Since ‘94 they have been opposing.

“They do their job, we must do ours without fear or favour. We must support those ministers who are doing their work that we asked them as voters and ruling party to do,” Dlamini-Zuma said.

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