Former Umzinyathi District Mayor, Rev James Mthethwa, today took his place in National Council of Provinces.

The ANC re-deployed Rev Mthethwa after he quit as District Mayor following a row over homophobic comments he made at a health day event in Dundee in August.

Rev Mthethwa blamed “gay people for spreading HIV and Aids and [that they] must be stopped”.

No disciplinary action was taken against Rev Mthethwa.

Mergan Chetty, the DA’s MPP representing the Umzinyathi Constituency, said it ‘was only the DA that stood in solidarity with the LGBTI community in today’s KZN Legislature sitting while all other parties supported the ANC nomination of former disgraced and homophobic mayor Mr Mthethwa.’

“We have previously reported Mr Mthethwa to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). The ANC has also, previously rejected a motion I made in the NCOP stating that his remarks were hate speech,” Mr Chetty told the Courier.

“By simply redeploying Mr Mthethwa, the ANC has shown that they do not take the humans rights of every South African’s seriously and that they put their comrades above the denunciation of violence and hatred towards members of our society.

“The ANC’s practice of redeployment without disciplinary is a slap in the face to the LGBTI community, South Africa at large and our Constitution

“The DA finds it intolerable that the ANC would appoint a man to represent South Africans, yet he has directly violated the South African Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

“The ANC has once again given Mr Mthethwa a position to mislead South Africans and promote ignorance and violence within our society.

“We urge the ANC to do the correct thing and recall him so that he is unable to do further harm to South Africans and our Constitution.”