New members of the Parliament who were sworn in today by the speaker of Parliament, From Left to right: Mandla Shikwambana, Mzwanele Manyi, Nqobile Matilda Mhlongo Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula (Speaker), Eugene Mthethwa, and Veronica Ntlaningwini. Photo Zwelethemba Kostile
Johannesburg - Former Kwaito star Eugene Mthethwa, who was this week sworn into the National Assembly as a member of parliament and EFF MP, has called for South Africans to shun the ANC at the polls in 2024.
Taking to social media, the Trompies member said anyone who votes for the ruling party does not love the country, neither do they have any high regard for themselves.
“Anyone who will vote for ANC, would be explicitly saying he or she hates herself, his or her children. It will be self condemnation as it is clear that they have lost self-consciousness and the politics that encouraged them to join the struggle,” he said.
This week, EFF leader and member of parliament, Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said Mthethwa's swearing-in was an affirmation of artists' contribution to politics.
Mthethwa is the second South African musician to be made an EFF MP, following the appointment of Ringo Madlingozi in 2019.
In a video clip shared on social media, Mthethwa promised to advance the interest of the creative sector in his new role in parliament. During his maiden address, Mthethwa slammed the ANC government for its failure to help the creative sector in its 29 years since 1994.
“We rejected this budget vote when we participated in the debate. We want to reiterate that the view that this department completely ignored the cultural and creative sector such that many of our legendary artists, actors, sportsmen and sportswomen are dying and getting buried as paupers. The minister speaks of discovering and encouraging national talent. We all know that this is a myth. There has never been a single programme that searches for raw talent under the ANC government,” he said.
Mthethwa added that the continued failure of the government to recognise the sector as a potential for jobs growth was obvious.
“As far as we know, the ANC has always seen the sector as nothing more than just an afterthought, a donkeys wagon to carry the wishful hopes of its imaginative social cohesion programme.
“It is a figment of imagination to think that the ANC government is making inroads towards social cohesion. The rainbow nation exists in theory, thus racism is still rife against Africans and blacks in particular. It is misleading the country when you say you want to create jobs. That has been the demagogue and the rhetoric of the ANC since the dawn of democracy,“ he said.
The Star