Lungani Zungu & Celani Sikhakhane
The families of the 36 people murdered in Phoenix during the week-long unrest in July have lashed out at the DA, labelling the party “insensitive, hateful and divisive”.
The DA has received widespread criticism after putting up controversial election posters in Phoenix, Durban, where racial tensions have been at boiling-point since July.
One poster read: “The ANC Called You Racists”, while another said: “The DA Calls You Heroes”.
The family of Delani Khumalo, an internationally-acclaimed choreographer from KwaMashu, who was burned to death in Phoenix, is seething with rage.
“This means that the DA doesn’t understand the pain we endured as the families of the people who were killed in Phoenix,” said Khumalo’s cousin Thabo Mkhize.
The charred remains of the 41-year-old were found in a government mortuary in Phoenix in July after looting in KZN and Gauteng following former President Jacob Zuma’s arrest.
“This is more like rubbing salt in the wound by the DA,” said Thabo.
The family of Mondli Majola, 19, was equally angry.
“The DA is giving a pat on the back to people who killed other people in cold-blood. This is very insensitive on the side of the DA,” said Siwela, Majola’s father.
Brothers Dylan and Ned Govender, and Jeetendra Jaikissoon were arrest for the murder of Majola.
Footage showing the Majola’s gruesome killing was played in court when the trio applied for bail last week in the Verulam Magistrates’ Court.
In the footage, which was taken by a home CCTV camera in Phoenix, it appeared that Majola was attacked with an object and hit on the head and the thighs.
“If the DA sees it fit to praise people who killed other innocent people, then good for them,” said Siwela.
ActionSA’s eThekwini mayoral candidate, Dr Makhosi Khoza, accused the DA of stoking racial tensions between Indians and Blacks in Phoenix.
“Blacks and Indians have been living side by side for years. Unfortunately there are politicians who don’t care about the development of these people. Instead, they chose to use a campaign that will destroy the work that has been done to keep Blacks and Indians as one, ” said Dr Khoza.
DA leader John Steeinhuisen spiritedly defended his party’s posters.
“There’s nothing wrong with the posters because we are praising all the people who stood up against vigilantism in Phoenix during the unrest regardless of race,” Steeinhuisen told the media on Wednesday.
However, former DA operative and liberal columnist Gareth van Onselen described the posters as disgraceful.
“The ethics of those posters aside, they make no strategic sense. The DA has a solid message, focused on its core offer – delivery – clear and unambiguous. Why undermine that with an ill-defined cheap shot, it needs to relentlessly explain and justify?”
