Cape Town — Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, has responded to the comments made by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) over the future of the Government of National Unity (GNU).
Political parties reacted to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s opening Parliament address and drew mixed responses from opposition parties and allies of the GNU. Among those to show strong support for Ramaphosa was McKenzie, the Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader whose party also joined the GNU.
“And I can tell you, we have our ducks in a row. When he said South Africa is going to look like a construction site, I nearly stood up and clapped, I’m very excited,” McKenzie said after the address.
He said that South Africa, under the guidance of the GNU, will have the best five years, after EFF leader, Julius Malema, said Ramaphosa’s address lacked substance, and that the president was a “wounded buffalo.”
“South Africa is going to have the best five years. The EFF say the GNU is not going to last. Can we really take them seriously? The EFF said they’re the government in waiting. We are still waiting for them to come into government. I’ve even overtaken them. I am a Minister today,” Newzroom Afrika reported McKenzie saying.
“Let me tell you something, the voters have told us to get together to build this country, we will not give one particular country power, you must share the power and find a way to work together. We are building the country and leaving our differences behind,” he added.
He said he has differences with GNU partners, the ANC and the DA, but in the interests of all South Africans, the parties will work together to achieve their goals.
[WATCH] “The EFF said they’re the government in waiting. We are still waiting for them to come into government. I’ve even overtaken them.” – PA leader and Minister of Sports Gayton McKenzie. #Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/snAwBy9bRN
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) July 18, 2024
McKenzie’s comments came after Malema criticised Ramaphosa for his speech, labelling it as “appalling incessant lies”, The Citizen reported.
“You can see that he is a wounded buffalo. We told you, South Africa, we will eat this elephant piece by piece and you saw it for yourself. That confidence and arrogance of February has gone through the window and today, the man speaks like a man who has got no confidence and belief in what he’s talking about. I won’t be shocked tomorrow if I’m told that speech was written by Helen Zille because the DA kept on clapping until the last full stop,” said Malema.
Malema criticised Ramaphosa, saying he had been discussing beneficiation since he took over the ANC in 2017 and the government in 2018 and that his speech was a “waste of state resources”. And criticised him for not addressing issues such as international relations and land matters.
He called Ramaphosa out for lying about creating two million jobs and said he decided to appease the DA.
“You can see THAT President Cyril Ramaphosa is a wounded Buffalo, we told you South Africa will eat this elephant piece by piece” EFF President Julius Malema
“The man speaks like a man who has got no Confidence and believes in what he’s talking about, I won’t be shocked tomorrow… pic.twitter.com/vP5wzmrOzp
— News Live SA (@newslivesa) July 18, 2024
[MUST WATCH]: President @Julius_S_Malema reacting to Ramaphosa’s address at the opening ceremony of Parliament today.
The President says this was a waste of state resources because Ramaphosa never presented anything new except a new identity for his office. pic.twitter.com/bCV9k7jI4s
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) July 18, 2024
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
