Faux camo and embarrassing the ANC: DA’s Mazzone shades Niehaus

There are plenty of shots to go around this week and no politician is safe.

Case in point? The uniform worn by Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) spokesperson Carl Niehaus was dragged when DA MP Natasha Mazzone suggested it was “fake” in a war of words between the two.

It started when Niehaus weighed in on the DA’s decision to lodge a complaint with the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) against the ANC and the EFF over last month’s eNCA mask saga.

Mazzone said the DA would lay a complaint against the two parties for what she called “race-baiting”.

“The DA unequivocally believes racism and discrimination should be condemned without fear or favour. However, the race-baiting by the ANC and EFF has no place within SA’s democratic society,” she said.

“Political parties have a duty and responsibility to work towards racial cohesion. We need to work towards healing the racial divides still present in society, and not add to it like the ANC and EFF have been doing here.”

Weighing in on the decision, Niehaus said the move was “in protection of racism” and once again confirmed the DA’s “true racist nature”.

Niehaus asked DA MP Phumzile Van Damme and all black DA members whether they were not embarrassed to belong to the party.

In her response, Mazzone said Niehaus should worry about embarrassing 99% of the ANC.

“I think the question to ask, Carl, is aren’t we all embarrassed to live in the same country as you and your faux camo gear?” she said.

Van Damme also weighed in, saying Niehaus was projecting his own embarrassment with his “parasitic existence”.

“Go have a long look in the mirror and sort out your own problems with your life and leave the rest of us out of it. I’m proud of me and my life,” Van Damme told Niehaus.

In a back-and-forth spat, Mazzone compared Niehaus to the fictional character GI Joe.