ANC calls on Parliament not to invite De Klerk again
The ANC says parliamentarians should consider not inviting former president FW De Klerk again. The Economic Freedom Fighters called for De Klerk’s removal during last week’s State of the Nation Address.
The former president and his foundation deny that apartheid was a crime against humanity despite a declaration by the United Nations in 1973. ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe says that there is no way that the party cannot be seen to be taking action.
“It is expected that our own members of parliament reflect on this and begin to say what do you do with individuals who knowingly go out and spit in the face of our people and want to deny that apartheid was a crime against humanity when an international body like the UN had already spoken,” Mabe said.
“It is important that when reflections are made by those that have been deployed in parliament to take strong actions that suggest if there is this kind of denialism there is no way that they can be associated with those that deny that there ha been a groundswell attack on the integrity and standing on our people on a system called apartheid. In the statement that we issued, we reflected on a number of people that may have been killed as a result of apartheid.
Parliament is defending its decision to invite De Klerk. Deputy Speaker Lechesa Tsenoli has described last week’s incident as a deflection. As Parliament, we do not get into debates on people’s views are during this period,” said Tsenoli.
“Our job is to invite, as we have done in the past former presidents and this is what we have done. …We are exercising the responsibility to inform people. It’s a deflection, the critical point is that president De Klerk, like president Thabo Mbeki, president Zuma, president Motlanthe and president Mandela when he lived, are on the list of people who are continually invited.”
“We do not give diplomatic immunity to those we invite if they say wrong things or whatever things they say, for us it’s not in the interest of parliament to then change our minds,” Tsenoli added.
In other news – Skeem Saam actress Pebetsi Matlaila – I’m now CCMA’s most wanted
Skeem Saam actress Pebetsi Matlaila has been left frustrated after a “disgruntled” former domestic worker filed a case of unfair dismissal against her with the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA).
Pebetsi took to her Insta Stories to vent about a predicament in which she found herself, allegedly thanks to her former helper. Read more
Source: eNCA
