DA MP hopeful Jeremy Mansfield calls Zuma statements racist

TV and radio personality Jeremy Mansfield, who has said he’s hoping to go to parliament as a DA MP, took to Facebook to criticise the president’s use of the term “black parties”.

Speaking at his annual address to the National House of Traditional Leaders on Friday, President Jacob Zuma said it was time for “black political parties” in Parliament to unite on the land issue. This was despite his party, the ANC, having rejected an offer by the EFF this week, to join forces to change the constitution and make expropriation without compensation legal.

He said that the taking away of the land remained at the heart of problems for black people.

“The economy is not in our hands, we are not in control of economic power.”

“We have identified the weaknesses in [land reform]. Willing buyer, willing seller did not work. It made the state’s price tag an unfair process. In addition, there are many laws dealing with land which cause confusion and delays.

“Land hunger is real.” He said he wanted to see a “precolonial land audit” conducted.

It was reported that the traditional leaders said they wanted “the land back”.

Zuma said last month that he was in favour of a legal change regarding land. He believes this is important for his agenda of “radical economic transformation” announced during his state of the nation address.

He also called on the support of traditional leaders to resolve the issue of land redistribution in South Africa.

In response, Mansfield wrote on Facebook on Friday: “President Zuma addressing the opening of the National House of Traditional Leaders today said the constitution would have to be changed to allow for restitution of land without compensation.

“He then went on to state that to do this, the ‘black parties’ in Parliament would need to show unity.

“Define a ‘black’ party Mr. President, so that all the ‘black’ people know who to vote for and all the ‘white’ people know they are not welcome there.

“Why don’t we just call it Zumaparthate Version 2.0?

“You and your cronies are creating a divisive environment in every way for the citizens of this country your are supposed to serve. Am I the only one who finds this racist?”

It’s unclear which parties Zuma was referring to and which of them would be happy to be considered exclusively black. Both the DA and the ANC officially define themselves as entirely nonracial parties.

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