From taking ‘blood money’ to ‘hatred of poor people’: inside Ndlozi vs Mashaba debate on spaza shops

Gloves were off when EFF MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi went head-to-head with ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba in a heated debate about township economy and controversies around the ownership of spaza shops. 

Ndlozi had no kind words for Mashaba as he lambasted his remarks about foreign nationals owning spaza shops during the debate that took place in Diepkloof, Soweto, on Tuesday hosted by 702.

“I am completely flabbergasted by the hypocrisy of Mashaba. He spends 100% of his time convincing us of less than 2% of SA’s economy, saying, ‘we must take the spaza shops.’ Why don’t we take your Oppenheimer’s mines? That is where the economy is. Why don’t you have the same balls when it comes to the major industrial hubs of South Africa? You know why, it is because they are your funders,” he said. 

Mashaba’s party, like other parties such DA and Rise Mzansi, has benefited financially from Oppenheimer family donations. The family, which founded the Anglo American mining company, regularly donates to political parties. 

“We must press among each other fighting for the crumbs that fall from the masters’ table. The townships' history starts with the disposition of the land to do business. The land to farm, mine and for human settlement,” Ndlozi said. 

“I am completely shocked, and I think it is important for that particular rhetoric to be exposed for what it is. You [Mashaba] are not mobilising us for the economy, the banks or the financial muscle that is privatised and circulating among the minority in the population. We want the real economy.”

Ndlozi claimed the Oppenheimer family, owning mining company for many years, were the “biggest zama zamas”.

“Go look at gold that they have looted in Carletonville and left a damaged environmental area. People have sinkholes. Go to Welkom, Kimberley, what a shameful family. To take their money is to take blood money. Money that has been denied the majority of South Africans from their natural wealth. Don’t be anti-academic like Herman.” 

Mashaba retaliated, saying the EFF did not have the best interests of people living in townships.

“We are a party that is committed to pro-poor South Africans. That is why I am shocked when Dr Ndlozi [is saying these things]. The hatred of EFF for poor people is on steroids,” he said. 

“The party’s leadership are Gucci people, and they rely on getting their funding from cigarette smugglers. They are a party that is calling for open borders. It is beyond imagination for us as ActionSA, we are saying shops in our communities are going to be run by South Africans. Our borders are going to be controlled, and no undocumented person coming from whether Nigeria or Pakistan they are not welcome in our country.” 

Watch full debate here. The debate continues on social media: