THE Congress of the People (Cope) has lambasted President Cyril Ramaphosa for describing opposition parties as snakes.
Cope president Mosiuoa Lekota said the statement was provoking and was against the constitution.
“We strongly condemn Cyril Ramaphosa’s description of opponents as 'snakes' during an address on 13 January 2024. It is an inflammatory language inconsistent with the values of a constitutional democracy where the right to freedom of association for citizens is guaranteed,” said Lekota.
He said the remarks were a serious attack on the individual's right to belong to a political party of their choice.
“Such despicable language has caused major conflicts around the world. The genocide in Rwanda started with one group calling another 'cockroaches'. Just this week, South Africa rightly showed the ICJ how the inflammatory language of certain Israeli politicians has aided and abetted the alleged acts of genocide against Palestinians. He has a short memory,” he said.
Ramaphosa told the ANC members gathered at Mbombela Stadium in Mpumalanga for the January 8 statement that there were anti-transformation forces within the ANC that wanted to ensure the ANC was logged up in internal struggles.
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“When the movement pushes ahead with the programme of renewal, they then start changing into opposition parties that are as opposed to the ANC as right-wing opponent of transformation. In fact, they even become worse than those right-wing opposition parties because they come through as real snakes, snakes that are ready to bite our people,” he said.
Lekota pointed out that Ramaphosa’s anger at “anti-transformation forces” was misdirected and misplaced.
He said he must look at himself and his party of “corruption as the perpetrators of crimes against the people of South Africa."
Lekota said: “The Zondo Commission Report has laid bare how his ANC has betrayed the values of the forebears of our democratic struggle and the promises of a better life for all during the “nine wasted years” and counting. Corruption steals from the poor and reverses the gains of our democracy."
"The leaders in his corrupt ANC's highest and lowest echelons are “accused No. 1” in the dock of corruption: Gwede Mantashe, Nomvula Mokonyane, Blade Nzimande and many others around this scandal-ridden Phala Phala buffalo are still protected despite embarrassingly huge scandals. Birds of a feather flock together.”
He said Cope would report Ramaphosa to the South African Human Rights Commission for an investigation.
“Every time he puts his foot in the mouth, he makes our call for the direct election of a president by voters even more urgent. We cannot have such failing leadership at the helm of our country for a day longer."
