Talk 27 August 2020

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Party leaders have say on radio
Representatives throw jabs at
each other on Ndlambe FM
TK MTIKI
Ndlambe FM radio’s
round table discussions,
which have seen a
random political party hosted
on the air on Fridays,
culminated in an intense
programme recently, when
station manager Dodo Shuping
hosted four political parties
together to debate each other
and answer listeners’ questions.
The discussion included
ANC councillor Andile Marasi,
DA councillor Sikhumbuzo
Venene, Leon Coetzee of the
ACDP, and EFF councillor
Xolisa Runeli.
Each were given ten minutes
to tell Ndlambe residents why
they should vote for their party
in the local government
elections next year.
However, all the political
leaders in the studio took the
opportunity to throw jabs at
each other, with the intention of
revealing each other’s
weaknesses.
Starting the discussion was
Coetzee, who advocated for
united Godly governance.
Coetzee used Scriptures to
support his view of unity.
“The Bible says where there
is unity, God commands a
b l e s s i n g ,” Coetzee said.
He is of the view that politics
should not be about party
politics. He said party politics
divided people like football fans
who would support their teams
for whatever reason.
Coetzee said SA was going
nowhere without a Godly
government observing Godly
va l u e s .
“We need to submit our
whole lives to God and observe
all his commandments.
“It is good calling in the
name of God, but our daily lives
should display that.
“There is a way that appears
to be right, but in the end it
leads to death,” he said, citing
Proverbs 16:25.
Coetzee condemned the
burning of property and tyres as
a way of expressing
dissatisfaction over the lack of
service.
He also expressed his
disappointment about
corruption associated with the
ruling party.
Runeli described the EFF as a
growing party representing
marginalised people.
“This is a party that has
realised that the ANC has turned
away from its original objectives
which led to its formation.
“The ANC was formed to
restore the land, which was
forcefully taken by Leon’s
f o r e f a t h e r s ,” he said.
“They took land and cattle
and wealth of black people.”
UNITED IN THE PICTURE: Representatives from four political parties, interviewed together on Ndlambe FM recently, are, from
left, Leon Coetzee of the ACDP, Sikhumbuzo Venene and Phil Kani of the DA, Ndlambe FM station manager Dodo Shuping,
Andile Marasi of the ANC and Xolisa Runeli of the EFF Picture: TK MTIKI
Runeli claimed that the EFF had
represented local retail workers
exceptionally well.
He added that the EFF’sl ove
and fight for the poor had led to
them being jailed.
“We fought this municipality
which was paying black people
R100, even though this
municipality continues with
t h a t ,” he said.
Runeli added that the EFF
had “woken up” the Ndlambe
council, which was asleep.
He said other councillors’
input was only limited to prayer
and voting on items on the
agenda.
Runeli described the ANC
and the DA as useless parties
which supported each other in
the council.
However, the DA’s Ve n e n e
immediately challenged these
claims, saying Runeli was good
at misleading the public.
“To be in politics is quite
interesting when you have
youngsters like Runeli.
“If I were to give an award in
terms of misleading the
community, councillor Runeli
would be number one,
u n c o n t e s t e d ,” he said.
“I would give Runeli a
platinum [award] because I do
not think he deserves gold.”
Venene said the DA was not
in government except in the
Western Cape. According to
Venene, the DA in the council
only voted with the ANC on
issues of service delivery.
He asserted that they were
not there for themselves but for
the people of Ndlambe.
“We are not there for the
sake of opposing.
“Yes, we are there to make
sure that we do our oversight
role as councillors. When the
ANC is mischievous we take
them on,” he said, adding that
the time was ripe for the people
of Ndlambe to vote for the DA.
“There is a high rate of
unemployment. If you give us
an opportunity to lead this
municipality we can reduce
unemployment. We say one
household, one job,” he said. In
response to statements made by
the others, ANC Ndlambe chief
whip Marasi said: “I am not here
to respond to any allegation of
any political party. I am sent by
the ANC to come and make an
i n p u t .”
Marasi said he would
“educate” Runeli, saying he
would not respond to his
cliams, but that there was
nothing wrong with opposition
agreeing with the ruling party
on important issues.
“Opposition parties are there
to oppose, but not at all times.
“The ANC is the mass
movement and we will listen to
the will of the people,” he said.