Maimane 'in DA captivity'

06 May 2015 - 02:32 By Bianca Capazorio

Energy Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson has waded into the DA's leadership debate, telling Mmusi Maimane that he needed to free himself from his "oppressors". Joemat-Pettersson said during parliament's Freedom Day debate that, like trained monkeys, certain people did not know freedom. She said even when released from captivity, they would still run around their masters.She said former DA parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko "ran for her life", as did former Agang leader Mamphela Ramphele. She urged Maimane to do the same."Run Mmusi, run; run Maimane, run," she exclaimed.In response, DA chief whip John Steenhuisen said Maimane was indeed running, adding: "He's running for president."The debate also focused on the recent spate of xenophobic attacks.Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa said South Africa was not a violent country, and that its inhabitants should not all be "tarred" with the same brush.Speaking on behalf of the ANC, Gauteng MEC for Transport Ismail Vadi said recent research had shown that 56% of those who had committed xenophobic attacks were unemployed. About 25% of them were aged 10 to 19 and 55% between 20 and 29.The debate also turned to the recent spate of attacks on statues. Freedom Front Plus's Pieter Groenewald said attacks on Afrikaner statues and the xenophobic violence showed that South Africa was not free but gripped by crime.Groenewald said over 17 million South Africans who relied on social grants were also not free, but dependent on the government under the ANC, which relied on their votes to win elections.The ANC's Tekoetsile Motlashuping slammed those who "hit colonial statues with their colonial hammers" but went on to speak "Cecil John Rhodes's English"."And after speaking their big English, they eat with a fork and knife. Hypocrisy," he said...

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