The EFF’s Mbuyiseni Ndlozi and IFP’s Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi. Images via Twitter @mbuyisenindlozi, @cyrilramaphosa
‘Sies!’: EFF’s Ndlozi slammed for speech at Buthelezi’s memorial
Dr Mbuyiseni Dlozi, of the EFF, has received backlash for praising the late former IFP president, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi.
The EFF’s Mbuyiseni Ndlozi and IFP’s Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi. Images via Twitter @mbuyisenindlozi, @cyrilramaphosa
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) member of Parliament (MP) Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi has come under fire on social media for his farewell speech at Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi’s memorial service in ULundi on Wednesday, 13 September.
Buthelezi, who founded the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in 1975 after leaving the African National Congress (ANC), passed away on Saturday, 9 September, at the age of 95. He will be laid to rest on Friday.
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EFF’S DR NDLOZI DESCRIBES PRINCE BUTHELEZI AS A MAN OF PEACE
Taking to the podium at the memorial service, Ndlozi described himself as Buthelezi’s son.
He told mourners and the Buthelezi family that the EFF drew some of its energy from the IFP and its leader.
“Never be shaken by the negativity. Never be shaken by the ill-informed, ignorant people who are taking to the platform to say all types of things. Never be shaken by opportunists.”
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The EFF MP described the former IFP president as a man of peace.
“We are here to memorialise a man of peace. We are here to memorialise a person that built peace, and peace is not a language of cowards.”
Ndlozi further said, contrary to claims Buthelezi was a “murderous Apartheid collaborator,” the true collaborators are known, and they collaborated with Lonmin to kill striking miners in Marikana when 34 miners were killed by the police in 2012.
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X USERS WEIGH IN
Ndlozi’s speech was heavily criticised on social media.
“May the Lord help me to never be as historically delusional as Mbuyiseni Ndlozi! The man stood in front of a crowd and, without a flinch, called Buthelezi, a man of peace! I guess PhDs don’t cure one’s delusional thinking!”
“Ndlozi is from the Vaal, which is a few minutes away from Boipatong. Yet, he calls a man who incited violence that caused the massacre that took 45 black lives. Yet Ndlozi calls him a man of peace. Dishonouring the people from your home town is a huge shame.”
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The EFF politician’s PhD thesis, wherein he blamed the IFP for the massacre in Boipatong in the Vaal, Gauteng, also came under scrutiny.
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