The MK party said Steenhuisen violated parliament’s code of ethical conduct.
The MK party has laid an official complaint against President Cyril Ramaphosa and Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen for misconduct during the official visit to the White House in the United States (US).
The MK party said Steenhuisen breached section 2 of parliament’s code of ethical conduct, which requires members to carry out their duties with diligence and honesty.
The complaint stems from remarks Steenhuisen made to US President Donald Trump, where he said the DA joined the government of national unity (GNU) to prevent the EFF and MK party from entering government.
The MK party also wants Ramaphosa to apologise for failing to intervene after Steenhuisen’s remarks.
Complaint
MK party MP Mzwanele Manyi told The Citizen they filed the complaint with parliament’s ethics committee on Monday.
“We are arguing that the members, specifically members of the executive, refrain from using their position of authority recklessly and abusing [their positions] to misrepresent it,” Manyi said.
“We have a situation here where Steenhuisen and Mr Ramaphosa went to the Oval Office. When they get there, Steenhuisen takes the floor to articulate the DA’s posture on the MK and the EFF.”
ALSO READ: WATCH: Donald Trump ambushes Cyril Ramaphosa in Oval Office
Manyi claims Steenhuisen mischaracterised the MK party and EFF.
“So he goes there and characterises these organisations as rogue elements, as destroyers and all that, and basically says they are there as the DA to keep these two rogues out. The problem we have with this is that this is not the country’s position.
“This is just the DA’s position. We would not be challenging this if he were going there as a DA leader. But, he went there as a Cabinet minister,” Manyi said.
Manyi claims that Ramaphosa did not correct or clarify Steenhuisen’s remarks, therefore endorsing what the MK party called partisan political messaging during an official diplomatic engagement.
‘They must both apologise’
Manyi said they want Steenhuisen and Ramaphosa to apologise.
“They must both apologise, and they must issue a statement to set the record straight that the MK party and the EFF are not rogue elements. They are registered political parties. They are responsible representatives in parliament, and therefore exercise the democratic right to join or not to join coalitions or whatever.
“Just speak the truth. We want the record to be set straight. They must state the truth, they must not mischaracterise the MK party in particular,” Manyi said.
ALSO READ: ‘There is doubt in Trump’s head about genocide in SA,’ Ramaphosa says [VIDEO]
SA delegation
Ramaphosa and Trump met at the White House in Washington, D.C., in May.
It came amid heightened tensions between the US and South Africa over claims by Trump and South Africa-born Elon Musk about the country’s racial equity laws, which prompted the US to recently admit white South African refugees while barring refugees from other countries.
Ramaphosa’s delegation included:
- Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola
- Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni
- Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Parks Tau
- Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen
- Founder of Richemont and Remgro chairman Johann Rupert
- South African professional golfer Ernie Els
- South African professional golfer Retief Goosen
Ambush
The stage was set for the anticipated heated and robust meeting between Ramaphosa and Trump, and it was.
Trump proved to be a political Rottweiler for Afrikaners and white farmers, shifting the focus from what began as a cordial discussion with Ramaphosa but veered sharply off course to farm attacks in South Africa.
Trump shows videos
During the bilateral talks, which played out before the media, Trump showed videos of EFF leader Julius Malema to support his false belief in genocide against whites in the country, asking why Malema has not been arrested.
The videos also showed MK party leader Jacob Zuma singing similar, apparently anti-white, songs from the struggle years.
Steenhuisen told Trump about Zuma and Malema.
“Kill the farmer. The two individuals [who] are in that video are both leaders of opposition minorities in South Africa. uMkhonto we Sizwe [MK party], under Jacob Zuma, and Economic Freedom Fighters [EFF], under Julius Malema.
“The reason that my party, which has been an opposition party, chose to join hands with Mr Ramaphosa’s party was precisely to keep those people out of power. We cannot have those people sitting at the Union Buildings and making decisions,” Steenhuisen said.
ALSO READ: US visit came amid ‘increasing strain’ between two countries, Ramaphosa says
Genocide claims
Trump also produced a sheaf of article print-outs, which he claimed to be evidence of the South African “genocide”.
The videos played by the Trump administration backed up the misinformation that there are mass killings against white South Africans and Afrikaners.
Trump made unsubstantiated claims about genocide and South Africa’s treatment of white farmers.
Ramaphosa began by turning away from the videos, sitting silently in his chair, shifting his eyes and smiling. He was visibly surprised.
‘Better shape’
Steenhuisen said the SA delegation to the White House emerged “in better shape than we went in”.
The DA leader said, despite the surprise [by Trump], “that gave us an opportunity to distinguish the new partners from the protagonists in the video, which were Malema and Zuma.
“And that’s what gave me the great pivot to be able to say: ‘Look, we are in government to keep those people out of government’.”
‘Trump warm’
Away from the glare of the TV cameras and microphones, “Trump was really warm and generous”, Steenhuisen said. In the private exchanges, Steenhuisen, along with golf stars Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, got to talk about SA’s problems.
“I think the golfers did a lot of work to defend things, particularly over the lunch, where Trump was very clearly relaxed,” said Steenhuisen. “I enjoyed the banter about golf. He is clearly very engrossed with golf.”
Farm murders
Following the meeting with Trump, the DA reiterated its call for urgent action to address farm murders in the country.
DA national and agriculture spokesperson Willie Aucamp said farm murders continue, and rural safety continues to threaten lives, food security, jobs, and the stability of South Africa’s rural economy.
NOW READ: US sees G20 as an ‘irrelevant talking club’ – expert
