Durban - DA provincial leader Zwakele Mncwango has drawn condemnation from the provincial government for saying King Goodwill Zwelithini had made a racial comment.
Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube said on Wednesday that Mncwango was in “self-imposed cultural exile”.
“His dismissive comments about the king reveal his party’s long-standing dislike of the royal institution but also Mncwango’s own lack of respect for his own cultural heritage. What Mcwango has done is tantamount to self-hate and denouncement of his own culture,” said Dube-Ncube.
Mncwango accused the king of making a “racial” comment about the ANC losing the Tshwane, Johannesburg and Nelson Mandela Bay metros to the DA.
Addressing a reed dance ceremony in Ingwavuma, near Jozini, the king had said: “The capital city of South Africa is governed by whites, which is a sign that the country is gone. The economic base (Johannesburg) has been taken over by whites.”
The king had also accused the ANC of failing to lead because of the political killings in the province. Mncwango reacted by saying the king’s comment was “misleading” and “dividing people according to race and politics”.
Dube-Ncube said on Wednesday that by “virulently and viciously” attacking the king in public, Mncwango “is not only striking at that heart of our custodian of our traditions and customs, but he is weakening one of the important institutions in the province and beyond.
“As public representatives, we should be careful of taking political postures that will make us being culturally exiled from who we are as a people.”
Mncwango described Dube-Ncube’s comment as “disgusting nonsense”.
He said she should rather focus on her “failure” to help the Jozini and Nquthu municipalities form councils.
“This failure must not be disassociated from the failed leadership’ mentioned by his majesty.
“The DA is not prepared to entertain Ms Nomusa Dube, as it is crystal clear that she is seeking attention and wants to deviate attention from the concerns raised by his majesty about the infighting in the ANC and its dismal performance in the 2016 local government elections,” he said.
The Mercury