Durban — The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has warned a civil rights movement, the Umnsinsi group, to stop provoking its members to avoid serious conflict.
This after the social movement group members in its “door-to-door” campaign stormed premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube’s house in Hillcrest on Saturday and demanded to see her. The group was blocked by the premier’s protectors and ended up leaving without seeing her.
In a video posted on social media platforms, group members are seen arguing with someone outside the premier’s house.
The Zulu nationalist group, which has been critical of the government on social media, has started to visit government officials and demand services their party (the ANC) had promised them during door-to-door campaigns during elections.
ANC provincial spokesperson Mafika Mndebele condemned the group’s actions and called it a dangerous provocation which, he said, could result in violence.
Mndebele said storming the homes of officials will affect families who have nothing to do with the officials’ work.
It was wrong for the group to call this a door-to-door campaign, he said, and called on ANC members to defend themselves when provoked by the group. “We warn this group to stop invading our officials’ homes because things may turn ugly when they defend themselves,” said Mndebele.
The premier’s office said it will not comment and referred questions to Transport, Community Safety and Liaison MEC Sipho Hlomuka. His office said that in his capacity as provincial chairperson of the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster he has ordered a swift investigation following intimidation and threats hurled at the premier.
The group’s secretary, who refused to give her full name and asked to be called kaMajola, confirmed her members visited the premier’s house at Hillcrest.
She said the group would not comment for now; it would give a media briefing soon.
The group’s full name is Umnsinsi wokuzimilela (original people). It also refers to itself as Abantwana bakaMthaniya (children of Mthaniya) who was Zulu king Jama’s wife.
The group received full backing from Abantu Batho Congress party leader Philani Mavundla, who said there was nothing wrong when voters visited politicians at their homes to demand service delivery. Mavundla said political parties started door-to-door visits to people’s homes, asking them to vote for them, promising heaven and earth. Thus, it cannot be wrong when people do the same to ask where are the services they had promised were.
The former eThekwini deputy mayor said his party fully supports the group’s actions. “During the election we as politicians visit people to ask them to vote for us. It cannot be that when they do the same to us we accuse them of invasion.”
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