Van Damme says Zuma-Sambudla attacked Madonsela for her father’s approval

05 July 2022 - 13:38
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Former DA MP Phumzile van Damme is the latest to slam Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla. File photo.
Former DA MP Phumzile van Damme is the latest to slam Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla. File photo.
Image: ESA ALEXANDER

Former DA MP Phumzile van Damme has weighed in on Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla comparing Thuli Madonsela to a gorilla, claiming sheonly attacked the former public protector for her father’s approval.

The daughter of former president Jacob Zuma came under fire this week after seemingly comparing Madonsela’s facial features to those of a gorilla.

She said Madonsela and President Cyril Ramaphosa had a “nose of a sell-out”.

Her remark drew outrage from many online, including Van Damme.

“Uyis’phukuphuku Dudu, aw’zenzisi. (You are stupid Dudu, you are not even pretending.) Wenzela uyihlo wonke lododi? Awum’dala that time (You are doing all this rubbish for your father? You are too old for this.) ‘Daddy look what I posted on the internet. I said she looks like a monkey. Love me. Approve of me’,” said Van Damme.

She alleged Zuma-Sambudla belongs in jail, along with her father, for “inciting the violence that caused the July 2021 unrest”.

Last year, Twitter took action against Zuma-Sambudla over her posts on the July unrest and looting.

Twitter users who reported Zuma-Sambudla for sharing the clips received a notification from the app confirming she had violated its rules.

The videos and images she shared were taken in several areas in KwaZulu-Natal before the unrest and looting broke out in Gauteng. 

According to Twitter’s rules, the complaints against the clips shared by Zuma-Sambudla fell under “terrorism/violent extremism”

One SA Movement leader Mmusi Maimane also slammed Zuma-Sambudla for her post.

“This is blatant racism and demeaning of a fellow human being. A violation of Thuli Madonsela’s dignity,” said Maimane.

“Her grace in response does not legitimise this. Regardless of who utters this, racism is racism. I hope you will have the courage to withdraw, apologise and delete.”

DA federal council chairperson Helen Zille said the comparison was disgusting.

“This is the most disgusting below. If anyone else (let alone a white person) had posted anything as outrageously racist, they would be banned from Twitter for life. I wait patiently to see what will happen to Dudu Zuma-Sambudla,” said Zille.

“She is a South African and so am I. We are told black people can’t be racist. This tweet is proof all people can be deeply racist, except the racism of some is excused because of their own race. And that is the most racist thing of all.”

An unfazed Zuma-Sambudla clapped back at the criticism, saying she would not apologise for her tweet.

“They can all kiss my a**. Including Helen Zille and Mmusi Maimane,” she said.

On Monday, Madonsela shared “a thought” about how what a person says or does to others is a reflection of them.

“What you say or do to others is a reflection of who and what you are, not them, therefore choose your words and actions carefully,” she said.

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