WATCH | ‘Amaselesele’ vs ‘racist boy’: Madonsela preaches human dignity after ANC, DA public spat

Former public protector Prof Thuli Madonsela has taken ANC and DA KwaZulu-Natal leaders to task for hurling insults including “amaselesele” and “racist boy” at each other. 

About 5,400 schools in the province were reported to have not received food last week, leaving pupils hungry. The schools are part of the national school nutrition programme.

TimesLIVE reported the education portfolio committee in the province has called for an urgent resolution while government investigates what led to non-delivery of food when schools reopened. 

When it was time for accountability from politicians, however, there was a public war of words.

DA deputy provincial leader and uMngeni mayor Christopher Pappas published a video speaking about the feeding scheme challenges. In it he called ANC provincial leaders “amaselesele”, which translates to thieves or frogs.   

“The leaders of this province do not have hearts. They are playing with money that needs to be used in the feeding scheme and this saddens me. People come to us as a municipality asking for help but there are people playing with millions of rand who have been appointed to oversee the feeding scheme. 

“Our leaders in this province are eating that money. There is no dignity or respect in that.”   

Pappas’ comments sparked a public debate and ruffled the feathers of the ANC leadership.

In retaliation, economic development, tourism and environmental MEC Siboniso Duma called the DA mayor a “racist boy” when he delivered his 2023/24 budget speech.

“I am sure at the right time we must deal with that racist boy called Pappas. Even if it means you think less of people, you cannot in the 21st century regard them as frogs.”    

Madonsela reprimanded both leaders, saying: “It was wrong of MEC Duma to call DA mayor Pappas a boy and equally odious of mayor Pappas to call ANC leaders frogs, which triggered the MEC.

“As a nation whose constitutional values include ubuntu, we should condemn all violations of human dignity and lack of civility.” 

Here is how some people reacted on social media : 

TimesLIVE

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