ANC KZN chairman heckled at Kathrada memorial

Picture: @mphathinxumalo

Picture: @mphathinxumalo

Published Apr 9, 2017

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The ANC’s KwaZulu-Natal chairman was heckled at a provincial memorial service for Struggle icon Ahmed Kathrada in Durban on Sunday.

Former finance minister Pravin Gordhan was the keynote speaker at the event. He was seated between ANC KwaZulu-Natal chairman Sihle Zikalala and ANC Youth League (ANCYL) provincial secretary Thanduxolo Sabelo.

Zikalala was on the receiving end of angry heckling from some audience members of the 1 600-strong crowd at Sastri College in Greyville when he said funerals and memorials should not be used as “platforms for divergent views”.

Echoing President Jacob Zuma’s words at a recent event, Zikalala said: “To use these platforms to express views that are divergent to the ANC is not correct. It is against the culture of ubuntu.”

ANCYL members – some visibly drunk – cheered Zikalala’s words, but other audience members booed him and accused him of hypocrisy.

“Using platforms to divide the ANC is incorrect,” Zikalala said, to which some audience members shouted “but you are doing exactly that” and “this is supposed to be a memorial”.

He said those with views on the recent cabinet reshuffle – in which Gordhan lost his job along with his respected deputy. Mcebisi Jonas – should take their opinions to their political parties.

Those at the event who brandished placards critical of ANC leaders and senior members were wrong, Zikalala said. “Even if we have differences we are democratic and can talk.”

Before the memorial commenced, ANCYL members ripped down innocuous placards that had been stuck on the walls of the halls that read “Take a stand. It’s our future” and “Save our jobs, save our economy, save our future, save our nation”.

Youth league members held high placards in support of Zuma and the controversial cabinet reshuffle throughout the event. Zikalala said all members of the ANC should be shown respect and allowed to speak.

“The ANC is a caring and democratic organisation. We have platforms in which to raise our views and emotions,” he said.

But members of the Active Citizens Movement, sitting in the front row of the audience, continued to heckle and shout down Zikalala, also calling for him to step down.

There was a strong police presence at the event.

African News Agency

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