ANC must come clean at Moerane Commission

The ANC’s testimony today before the Moerane Commission of Inquiry into political killings in KwaZulu-Natal was deeply disappointing.

The DA and the people of Kwa-Zulu Natal had hoped that the ANC would shed light on the many political killings that have plagued our province in recent years. Yet, instead of coming clean and admitting to its role in fuelling this violence through inaction, the ANC embarked on a strategy of blaming people and to invoking crazy conspiracy theories including the allegation that a ‘third force’ is responsible for these killings.

It is common knowledge that the majority of killings, of which there were 80 since 2011 and 29 since January 2016, are related to factional in-fighting within the ANC. The ANC therefore has a responsibility to come clean about who is behind these killings, no matter how high up the political command they may be.

With its theatrical performance today, the ANC made it clear that everyone, except themselves, was to blame. They even went so far as to say that the “police have performed well” in dealing with these killings.

By not accepting any liability in this matter, the ANC is failing the people of this province.

The DA calls on the ANC KwaZulu-Natal Chairperson, Sihle Zikalala, the provincial chairperson, Super Zuma and the deputy, Mluleki Ndobe to use their opportunity tomorrow, when they will testify for the last time, to do the right thing and come clean.

The TRC has shown us that true healing and recovery cannot take place unless role-players speak the truth and allow the can of worms to be opened.

Unless the ANC starts showing real leadership and empathy for the people of KZN by telling the truth, regardless of who is implicated, these killings will not end.

We call on them to do the right thing tomorrow.

Statement issued by Dean Macpherson MP, DA UMgungundlovu East Constituency Head, 19 October 2017