By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed being “truly hurt” that DA leader John Steenhuisen said the Gauteng crime prevention wardens wore clothes from Pep Stores.
Ramaphosa said the leader of the DA insulted crime prevention wardens with his remarks and any person who buys clothes at PEP stores.
“I was truly hurt when I heard a reference from the leader of the opposition, Steenhuisen, having said that those he saw in Gauteng buy clothes from (PEP). I was truly hurt because I am one of those who believes that a remark like that is inherently racist because to refer to people like that and say those people who go and buy either their shoes or whatever, in such and such a shop is degrading, humiliating and demeaning and is racist.”
“But what they do not realise is that Tintswalo’s story is not over. We are not done yet with Tintswalo because we are still going to improve Tintswalo’s life. Just as our journey as a nation has become better as we move ahead, because we have travelled far and achieved much, but we have much further to go. We are clear about the progress we have made, the challenges that we face and the actions that we must now take,” said Ramaphosa.
They will continue to build the country and there must be respect among parties.
Ramaphosa has attributed some issues plaguing South Africa to inherited suffering and inequality from the apartheid era.
However, he said his government has tried to address them through various interventions including social grants and other programmes.
Ramaphosa was responding to harsh criticism by opposition parties during a two-day debate over his State of the Nation Address (SONA).
The president initially replied by acknowledging his government’s shortcomings and failures.
These include load shedding, corruption and crime.
Ramaphosa said that “through the National Energy Crisis committee, we have delivered on our commitments to bring substantial new power through private investment on the grid, which is already helping to reduce load-shedding.”
He said the government has been working hard to curb corruption over the last five years.
“Over the last five years, we have made great advances in tackling corruption, including bringing those responsible for state capture to justice. We have been rebuilding law enforcement agencies and other anti-corruption bodies because it is only through strong, effective and independent institutions that we can safeguard against a return to state capture.”
“We established the Investigating Directorate in the NPA to undertake prosecution-led investigations of corruption, and will soon make it a permanent structure. We established the SIU Special Tribunal to recover stolen funds and have strengthened coordination between bodies like the Hawks, Special Investigating Unit, Financial Intelligence Centre, SARS and the NPA.”
“The SIU has been increasingly effective in uncovering acts of corruption and wrongdoing in the state, and we have put in place mechanisms to ensure that the SIU’s referrals are implemented. All of this work has helped to turn the tide against corruption.
“As recommended by the State Capture Commission, we are putting in place laws, institutions and practices that reduce the potential for corruption of any sort and on any scale,” added Ramaphosa.
“Violent crime continues to plague communities across our country and I have been clear, direct and honest by outlining all the challenges that our people are facing.”
But he said a lot of the poverty and suffering didn’t happen in a vacuum and had a lot to do with the previous regime.
“The apartheid system and colonialism bequeathed us poverty and inequality. That is what those past systems bequeathed the people of South Africa.”
He also continued the story of Tintswalo saying a some people have hurled insults at the fictional character.
Ramaphosa said everyone born in a democracy is Tintswalo whether they like it or not.
Ramaphosa further reiterated the government’s continued support for the people of Gaza. He told both Houses of Parliament that, even countries who didn’t support SA’s application to the ICJ, were calling on Israel to stop the killing.
Meanwhile Steenhuisen has tendered an apology during the joint sitting of Parliament on Thursday for the unparliamentary language he used during the State of the Nation Address debate.
Steenhuisen made the apology before National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe mapisa-Nqakula could make a ruling after she indicated that she would view the footage and make a ruling.
He asked to make a personal statement at the start of the proceedings.
“During the course of the debate (Wednesday) I made a gesture that will probably fall foul of rule 52 of the joint rules.
“I wish to apologise to the member concerned and withdraw unconditionally,” Steenhuisen said.
Due to the apology, Mapisa-Nqakula did not go ahead and make a ruling on the matter.
In terms of the parliamentary rules, no MP shall use unparliamentary, offensive, abusive, insulting, disrespectful, unbecoming language or threatening gestures.
Watch Live in the video below:
Video Courtesy of Parliament.