ANC man campaigns at funeral
2011-03-21 10:00
Johannesburg - An ANC councillor in Mpumalanga used the funeral of a man to campaign for the party, The Star reported on Monday.
After shouting "Viva ANC" and "Amandla" at the funeral of Mandla Nkosi, 37, in Fernie, near Ermelo, local councillor Jabu Hlophe urged mourners to vote.
"We are busy with election work. Let's honour comrade Mandla by voting," he reportedly said.
"I believe we all know that on May 18 we must go to vote," he continued, as Nkosi's relatives muttered, and his widow Khonkezile Dumakude, 32, shook her head.
Nkosi and his seven-year-old triplets, Sindi, Sindiswa and Sindisile were killed in Bertrams, Johannesburg last week when their rented room burnt down after a suspected gas explosion.
Hlophe called Nkosi an MK member, despite the fact that he was a marshal during political rallies in the 1990s.
Family friend Sipho Mkhwanazi stood up and protested.
"Nkosi left this place in 1990. But now that he is dead, the ANC remembers him. They are even canvassing for votes during his funeral. It's very wrong," The Star quoted him saying.
An ANC member in a yellow party t-shirt holding a picture of President Jacob Zuma with the legend "Vote ANC" remarked, referring to Mkhwanazi: "He's a traitor".
ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu said he was not aware of the circumstances surrounding the particular case, or details of what occurred at the funeral, and therefore was not at liberty to comment.
However, Mthembu said if an ANC member had in fact campaigned while people were mourning at a funeral, then this was inappropriate.
- SAPA
