Political intolerance rose a notch when members of the ANC and IFP became embroiled in a physical altercation in Weenen on Saturday (June 10).
Department of Co-operative Governance & Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) MEC Bongiwe Sithole-Moloi was in the area to conduct a service delivery and oversight visit, and also engaged with residents about service delivery issues.
The event was disrupted and subsequently cancelled when an argument broke out between members of the opposing political parties. In a video shared on social media, what started as a verbal altercation quickly escalated to being physical, starting with a slap which led to pushing and shoving, before chairs were thrown around the tent.
Responding to the incident, IFP provincial chairperson Councillor Thami Ntuli called it ‘disastrous’.
“According to our local leadership in Estcourt, the problem began when the department decided to transform the government public meeting into an ANC political rally, using government resources. “Several loud-hailing vehicles branded with ANC logos were used to mobilise community members in the area and encourage them to attend the gathering. At the entrance of the venue, where the government programme was scheduled, individuals were handed free ANC T-shirts as they entered. The IFP was also holding its own party meeting not far from the government event. When attendees of the IFP meeting learned that those attending the government event were being given ANC T-shirts and the majority were dressed in ANC regalia, they decided to join the government public event when their own meeting had finished,” said Ntuli.
This allegedly caused the rift between the two political rivals to deepen, as slurs were allegedly aimed at the IFP members.
“As community members wearing IFP T-shirts began entering the government public meeting, an ANC Youth League activist who also serves as the Head of Ministry in CoGTA took to the stage, seized the microphone and started chanting slogans inciting violence. “These slogans included phrases like ‘Niyabesaba Yini Na?’ (translated as ‘Are you scared of them?’), to which the audience responded with ‘Cha, asibesabi, siyabafuna!’ (meaning ‘No, we are not scared of them, we want them!’). Xulu did not stop there; he went on to sing ANC political songs like ‘Mshini wami’, creating a divisive atmosphere between those wearing ANC T-shirts and those wearing IFP T-shirts. IFP Inkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality Mayor Mduduzi Myeza, who was present at the event in his official capacity, approached the activist and pleaded with him not to politicise the government event. However, he was not receptive to the concerns raised regarding the potential dangers of politicising the government event,” Ntuli said.
He added that the IFP called on ANC MECs to separate politics and political campaigning from government programmes. CoGTA has not yet responded to a media enquiry.
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