‘Maimane is a homophobe’

090515. Boardwalk Convention Centre in Nelson Mandela Bay, Port Elizabeth. Democratic Alliance (DA) Parliamentary Leader Mmusi Maimane at the DA sixth Federal Congress in Port Elizabeth. Federal Congress is the party’s highest decision-making body, constitutionally required to meet every three years. Picture: Dumisani Sibeko

090515. Boardwalk Convention Centre in Nelson Mandela Bay, Port Elizabeth. Democratic Alliance (DA) Parliamentary Leader Mmusi Maimane at the DA sixth Federal Congress in Port Elizabeth. Federal Congress is the party’s highest decision-making body, constitutionally required to meet every three years. Picture: Dumisani Sibeko

Published May 14, 2015

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Johannesburg - Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini has stood by her remarks that new DA leader Mmusi Maimane is homophobic and intolerant of other religions.

During her budget vote in Parliament this week, Dlamini said Maimane had described gays and lesbians as sinners who needed to be healed by the church.

Maimane, who is also a pastor at his church in Roodepoort, was elected DA leader in Port Elizabeth at the weekend.

He shot back at Dlamini and accused her of distorting the facts.

The minister said she had discovered his comments on a gay site, where Maimane attacked gays and lesbians.

The DA leader said Dlamini was trying to gain political mileage out of something he had said in church to defend the rights of gays and lesbians. “I support the constitution and uphold it. I’ve never undermined the rights of gay people. In fact, I have supported them in many of the conventions we have held with them on gay rights,” he said.

Dlamini remained adamant that her comments were correct.

She said Maimane had made homophobic remarks at his church while preaching.

“I wish to state here that I stand by the statement I made (in Parliament),” said Dlamini.

Maimane said it was the tendency of the ANC to attack him and try to discredit him. He accused Dlamini of misleading people.

It was not the first time that Maimane has drawn the ire of the ANC in Parliament over his church, the Liberty Church.

A few months ago, ANC MPs accused him of selling drugs after narcotics were allegedly found at his church during a raid.

DA chief whip John Steenhuisen said the drugs were not found inside the church building and Maimane was not involved in drug dealing.

The Star

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