Songezo Zibi rogue politicians have even changed people’s perception of a Woolworths grocery bag.
Rise Mzansi leader Songezo Zibi has slammed MK Party MP, Vusi Shongwe for appearing “sympathetic” towards controversial businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala,
Shongwe this week had an opportunity to questions Matlala along with other MPs, who are part of the ad hoc committee investigating claims made by Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
He referred to Matlala as “grootman,” a term loosely translated as “big brother” in Afrikaans, but used in most townships to show respect to an elder associate or an older man respected in the community.
“It is sad to see a black man like you dragging chains like you are my brother, it is very painful to see you dragging chains being so well dressed.
“I would have wished that all black people become successful as you are I hope that your fight ends and if you are being falsely accused, then we should deal with those that are falsely accusing you.
“If it happens that you get a chance to tell us more things about these people who are messing up our country, the likes of Mr Cele, we trusted him a lot,” he said.
But Zibi said he found Shongwe’s comments problematic.
“We are at a difficult time when our country is struggling with leadership, did you see our leaders calling Cat Matlala a criminal, our leaders are calling him grootman they are queueing to greet a criminal.
“This means that the wrong people left Kgosi Mampuru prison, if you are going to refer to Cat Matlala as grootman you should stay in Kgosi Mampuru prison because you belong there. What kind of leadership is that.
“This man is suspected of murder, and you call him grootman? Is that the kind of leadership that we now have in South Africa?” he said.
Zibi said South Africa needs a new breed of leaders. He said these are leaders the represent integrity, accountability, and service delivery.
“We do not need leaders who say grootman to a criminal in parliament, being mayors or being councillors.
“These criminals must go it is now time for change,” he said.
A new breed of leaders
Zibi said politicians that have been linked to Matlala should be ashamed of themselves.
“They have introduced a new dynamic when we saw a Woollies bag we used to think about food and now we think about dirty money because that is how they get money from the same people that they call grootman.”
Zibi’s party is part of the Unite for Change Movement, this is group of parties that will come together to contest the local government elections as a bloc. These party comprise of Rise Mzansi, Bosa and the GOOD Party.
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Shongwe’s kidnapping
Meanwhile, the MK Party claimed that Shongwe was kidnapped this week in Tembisa, east of Johannesburg, by a group of unknown men.
They allegedly took a substantial amount of money and Shongwe’s cell phones before releasing him.
Shongwe’s party has asked parliament for security for Shongwe.
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