In her piece, Sisulu said “the most dangerous African today is the mentally colonised African. And when you put them in leadership positions or as interpreters of the law, they are worse than your oppressor. They have no African or Pan African inspired ideological grounding. Some are confused by foreign belief systems.
“In America, these interpreters are called the House Negroes. It is what the father of black history Carter Woodson strenuously complained about in his famous book “The Miseducation of the Negro”.
Lamola said Sisulu's “house negro” statement was insulting and her “personal attack” on the judiciary goes against the grain of everything government wanted to change.
“Referring to judicial officers by using crude racial tropes cannot pass off as a debate. Attacking the very institution that is to uphold the constitution goes against the grain of everything we wanted to change from before 1994,” said Lamola.
“Insinuating that judges who have assumed the high calling of judicial office in our democratic era are mentally colonised is a personal attack that cannot be condoned under any circumstances.”
Sisulu retaliated, calling Lamola’s response “unheard of”.
In her response, Sisulu scolded Lamola for penning an open letter challenging her remarks.
“You have taken the unusual step of addressing me, a colleague, in an open letter, something unheard of in the tradition of our movement, as far as I know,” said Sisulu.
“This appears alarming since it seems to be a follow-up of the public statement issued by your department, which was all part of an equally unusual and disturbingly vicious public castigation of me since my attempt to draw public attention to one of the most fundamental issues South Africans should be discussing”.
Sisulu said debates and discussions concerning the constitution were not a recent occurrence.
‘He’s on the wrong side of the debate’ — Ndlozi weighs in on Lamola’s open letter to Sisulu
Image: Gallo Images/Sharon Seretlo
EFF MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi has expressed dismay at justice and correctional services minister Ronald Lamola after his open letter to tourism minister Lindiwe Sisulu.
In his letter published on News24, Lamola took aim at Sisulu over her controversial opinion piece in which she took aim at the constitution and judiciary.
Will Ramaphosa fire Lindiwe Sisulu? Insiders say probably not
Weighing in on Lamola’s letter, Ndlozi said the minister was on the “wrong side of the debate”.
“Isn’t it interesting that for a former deputy president of the ANC Youth League who demanded ‘economic freedom in our lifetime’, Lamola is on the wrong side of the debate?
“Honestly, how could such a young activist not represent youthful frustration with lack of radical change since 1994?” Ndlozi asked.
He said the feud between Lamola and Sisulu was “1968 vs 2008 generations”.
“Considering his position in the debate, Lamola is to the 2008 moment what [President Cyril] Ramaphosa is to 1968: sell-outs,” said Ndlozi.
In her piece, Sisulu said “the most dangerous African today is the mentally colonised African. And when you put them in leadership positions or as interpreters of the law, they are worse than your oppressor. They have no African or Pan African inspired ideological grounding. Some are confused by foreign belief systems.
“In America, these interpreters are called the House Negroes. It is what the father of black history Carter Woodson strenuously complained about in his famous book “The Miseducation of the Negro”.
Lamola said Sisulu's “house negro” statement was insulting and her “personal attack” on the judiciary goes against the grain of everything government wanted to change.
“Referring to judicial officers by using crude racial tropes cannot pass off as a debate. Attacking the very institution that is to uphold the constitution goes against the grain of everything we wanted to change from before 1994,” said Lamola.
“Insinuating that judges who have assumed the high calling of judicial office in our democratic era are mentally colonised is a personal attack that cannot be condoned under any circumstances.”
Sisulu retaliated, calling Lamola’s response “unheard of”.
In her response, Sisulu scolded Lamola for penning an open letter challenging her remarks.
“You have taken the unusual step of addressing me, a colleague, in an open letter, something unheard of in the tradition of our movement, as far as I know,” said Sisulu.
“This appears alarming since it seems to be a follow-up of the public statement issued by your department, which was all part of an equally unusual and disturbingly vicious public castigation of me since my attempt to draw public attention to one of the most fundamental issues South Africans should be discussing”.
Sisulu said debates and discussions concerning the constitution were not a recent occurrence.
MORE
Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla backs Lindiwe Sisulu as clip praising the constitution resurfaces
In defence of Lindiwe Sisulu: The constitution is not sacred and judges are not demigods
Bantu Holomisa on calls for Sisulu to be fired: ‘She belongs to the untouchables in the ANC’
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