WATCH: ANC condemns Ndlozi’s ‘foreign nationals’ speech at Enock Mpianzi’s funeral

The ANC has expressed extreme disapproval at the remarks made by Economic Freedom Fighters’ spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi during the funeral of Enock Mpianzi on Saturday.

Speaking at the Kensington Secondary School hall, Ndlozi spoke on the documentation of foreign nationals in South Africa and asked mourners if Nelson Mandela was ever asked for papers when he received military training in the continent.

“How dare you ask another fellow African for a paper?”

“Can’t you see this is their home? They are African. Do you ask Italians for papers? Do you ask the British for papers?”

The ANC have condemned Ndlozi’s utterances while describing them as “sheer opportunism and exploitation of young Mpianzi’s funeral for political mileage.”

“The ANC condemns in the strongest terms this clear and deliberate attempt to incite lawlessness, which is damaging both to the cause of social cohesion and to government’s efforts to drive immigration reform and clamp down on illegal migration,” the party said in a statement.

“The ANC government is a signatory to all international conventions around the status of refugees, and since 1994 has steadfastly upheld its responsibilities in this regard.

“At the same time, the ANC government has maintained that all foreign nationals wishing to reside in South Africa have to be documented. This is common practice in every country in the world.

“The ANC reaffirms its position that border control is the right and preserve of any sovereign country, and that undocumented and illegal migration should be discouraged and dealt with within the ambit of the law.

“The utterances by EFF’s National Spokesperson were reckless and irresponsible and appear to encourage foreign nationals to break the law. At a time when tensions still persist between citizens and foreign nationals, this is likely to further inflame public opinion.

“There is time for everything. There is time for political grandstanding. And there is time for mourning. There is time for electioneering. And there is time for compassion. There is time for populist speeches, and there is time for words of comfort. The stage set for young Mpianzi’s funeral was a time for mourning and to convey our collective sympathies.”

Mpianzi drowned at a Parktown Boys’ High School orientation camp last month.

https://twitter.com/mj_ncube/status/1223695399418060800?s=20

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.