Willies Mchunu delivers anti-xenophobia message‚ enlivened by a brass band‚ drum majorettes and African dancers

25 May 2016 - 17:03 By Bongani Mthethwa

KwaZulu-Natal Acting Premier Willies Mchunu led Africa Day celebrations in KwaDukuza in his first official engagement on Wednesday. Mchunu‚ who will be officially sworn in as premier at a ceremony in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday‚ replaces Senzo Mchunu who announced his resignation on Monday.Africa Day is the annual commemoration of the founding of the African Union‚ previously known as the Organisation of African Unity‚ on May 25 1963. On this day‚ leaders of 30 of the 32 independent African states signed a founding charter in Addis Ababa‚ Ethiopia.Mchunu was accompanied by his provincial cabinet colleagues‚ Arts and Culture MEC Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Saphetha‚ Agriculture and Rural Development MEC Cyril Xaba‚ Health MEC Sibongiseni Dlomo‚ Education MEC Peggy Nkonyeni and Economic Development MEC Mike Mabuyakhulu - some of whom are rumoured to be removed in an imminent cabinet reshuffle.The carnival atmosphere in KwaDukuza on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast was characterised by a colourful cacophony of African traditional music and dance by various groups from the African continent.African music‚ which dominated the proceedings‚ included songs by Nigerian Afro beat star Fela Kuti and the late legendary maskandi music Mfaz’omnyama. There was also a fusion of some gospel music in between.On his arrival‚ Mchunu was led by seven bikers‚ a brass band‚ drum majorettes and African dancers who included Burundian dancers clad in their colourful red‚ green and white attire‚ which symbolise their country’s flag.In his speech‚ Mchunu said Africa Day is a day on which “we must remind each other about the importance of being an African”.“But more importantly we must use this day to celebrate the liberation of Africa from colonisation‚” he said.He said the day must also be used to make other African people in South Africa feel free and enjoy the freedom of movement in the country.“The fathers of Free Africa enjoined us to seek first the political kingdom. Africa achieved this at the close of the 20th century after bitter struggles against European colonialists determined to keep Africa as their treasure trove.”He said for centuries‚ the blood and sweat of Africans built Europe and America “with nothing to show for the African child”.“We put an end to this through sheer determination of African men and women‚” he said.Sibhidla-Saphetha echoed Mchunu by urging the people of South Africa to “show love and unity” to other African nationalities.“You must remember before you’re a Zulu or South African first‚ you are an African. We must give home to our African brothers‚” she said.She also criticised xenophobic violence which started in Durban and spread across the country.There were also representatives from several African countries such as Rwanda‚ Swaziland‚ Democratic Republic of Congo‚ Lesotho‚ Ivory Coast‚ Mozambique‚ Burundu and Malawi...

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