MK Party blasts Helen Zille and Gwede Mantashe over ‘Zulu vote’

The uMkhonto we Sizwe Party (MKP) has lambasted DA federal chairperson Helen Zille for her remarks that the party's votes primarily come from ethnic Zulu nationals. 

Zille was speaking to journalists at the national results operation centre at Gallagher Estate in Midrand on Thursday.

“MKP is another example of an ethnic identity vote. A very powerful one. Former president Jacob Zuma was the strongest, most senior Zulu-speaking candidate leading the party in this election and we have seen what the consequences are,” Zille said.

MKP spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela dismissed Zille's remarks as “sour grapes that come from a Stellenbosch farm”.

“Why is it the case that you have these kind of leaders in this country who refer to themselves as leaders, then say they want to rescue South Africa but make such comments that sow divisions among our people,” he said.

Ndhlela said the DA was like the apartheid-era National Party.

“South Africa is supposed to be a rainbow nation. At this rate clearly we should be rescuing ourselves from the likes of Zille and [ANC chairperson] Gwede Mantashe for the comments they make which are totally unacceptable.”

The controversy arose after the MKP dominated the vote in KwaZulu-Natal during early vote counting. On Thursday, the MKP led with 45.34% after 36.06% of votes counted in the province.

Ndhlela also dismissed Mantashe's claims about tribalism.

“If the impact is in KwaZulu-Natal, it reflects something different. It reflects Zulu tribalism and I don't think we should lock ourselves into Zulu tribalism. Tribalism is a backward form of politics. It is having its timeframe. It disappears. So if that is the factor, I am not worried about it,” Mantashe said.

Ndhlela responded: “When Thabo Mbeki was president of this country, most of his votes were coming from the Eastern Cape. Was the ANC called a Xhosa party? So why these kinds of comments? It’s very sad.” 

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