Mbete, Modise under fire for failing to deal with ‘racist’ ANC MPs

The DA is to write to National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete and chairperson of the National Council of Provinces Thandi Modise to “object to their lax approach” in dealing with “misogynistic and racist comments” during Tuesday’s first State of the Nation address (Sona) debate.

DA MP John Steenhuisen said these comments were made by ANC speakers and backbenchers.

“Opposition members are regularly sanctioned by the presiding officers and, when instructed to withdraw comments, are compelled to do so unconditionally,” he said.

Steenhuisen said ANC MP Bongani Mkongi called DA leader Mmusi Maimane “a white man in a black skin” from the podium.

“When instructed to withdraw this racial stereotyping, Mkongi brazenly repeated the slur in Xhosa, saying ‘uNdlebe zikhanyile onobuso obumnyama’, which loosely translates as ‘a white with a black face’.

“In so doing, Mkongi not only failed to withdraw his racist comment unconditionally, he was permitted to repeat it without consequence. Opposition members have been physically removed for less.”

DA MP Phumzile van Damme was repeatedly called a “straat meid” by a male member of the ANC without sanction, Steenhuisen said.

“Modise was clearly taken aback by the slur, but still took no action. This disgusting, racist slur has no place in parliament and it is abhorrent to think an MP would debase another member and themselves by uttering such a thing in the legislature.”

He charged that Mbete also showed “bias and selective judgment in tolerating abuse and profanities emanating from the ANC benches”.

“On the night of Sona, an ANC member directed a loud ‘f*** you’ at the opposition benches.

“This profanity is not only recorded in the Hansard for all posterity to see, but also caused a social media sensation when the sign language interpreter repeated it. It is a disgrace.”

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