Johannesburg - Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba has learnt nothing from the controversy around ANC deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa's “boers” comment, the FF Plus said on Monday.
The party was reacting to a report that Gigaba had warned people to vote next year to prevent “oppressors” from gaining control of the government.
“Apart from the fact that such a statement is not based on any substance of facts, it is also polarising,” Freedom Front Plus leader Pieter Mulder said in a statement.
“When a party's excuses, such as those of the ANC, for the high levels of corruption and poor service delivery run out, the party falls back onto primitive scare tactics and statements such as those made by Mr Gigaba.”
The Star reported that Gigaba, who speaking in Ga-Mokgoba, near Tzaneen on Saturday, claimed that opposition parties would work together against the ruling party and try to halt economic transformation.
“If they (the public) do not register to vote, those who have oppressed us before and now claim that they love us will come back to rule this country,” he was quoted as saying.
Later, speaking at an ANC Youth League 69th anniversary lecture in Kgapane township, Modjadjiskloof, also in Limpopo, he repeated these sentiments.
Last week Ramaphosa reportedly warned Limpopo residents to vote or the “boers” would take back power.
Mulder said it was clear from these statements that the ANC was in deep trouble with its voters.
“This election should be about how we are going to improve the economic growth rate so that more job opportunities could be created in South Africa... as well as how the different groups in the country could live together in peace without feeling threatened.”
Sapa