Cape Town - PAC leader Mzwanele Nyhontso accused Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane on Tuesday of allegedly implying that military veteran, Poqo cadre and Robben Islander Nontente Kamteni was not worthy of a provincial funeral.
Speaking during the budget debate for defence in the National Assembly, Nyhontso said his party was disappointed with the negative attitude of the Eastern Cape legislature and Mabuyane about Kamteni, a leader of Poqo insurrection in Komani in 1962.
“The problem was when the premier called the daughter and said there was nothing special about her father,” he said.
Nyhontso also said the treatment of Kamteni clearly sent a message that patriotic heroes of the national liberation Struggle, who served in the cause of freedom and land rights, were for the Eastern Cape Premier not worth remembering and commemorating.
“This betrayal is unacceptable.”
According to Nyhontso, Kamteni, 83, was recognised and registered on the database of the Department of Military Veterans.
“He was an ex-political prisoner on Robben Island maximum prison and spent 27 years for his activities as a cadre of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania.
“He did not have any criminal record yet the Eastern Cape provincial premier refuses to acknowledge the fact that Kamteni inspired many younger generations to take up arms and smash the apartheid and settler regime, which eventually led to the phase of history we have today in South Africa.
“The Eastern Cape premier is stepping with his dirty boots on the graves of our patriotic heroes. Our history is written in blood and no lies written in ink can erase it,” Nyhontso said.
Defence Minister Thandi Modise expressed shock at what Nyhotso narrated.
“I want to unreservedly, Honourable Nyhontso, to apologise for the remarks that you say were made towards a Poqo member, a former Robber Islander and veteran.
“I would take strong exception if anybody said that about any member of the ANC, any member of the uMkhonto weSizwe and any member of Qibla so our apologies.
“We will find a way of meeting the family and apologise,” Modise said.
Mabuyane’s spokesperson Zuko Godlimbi denied the premier made such statements about Kamteni and accused Nyhontso of playing politics.
Godlimbi said the PAC wrote to the Office of the Premier about the death of their stalwart and Mabuyane had approached the Presidency and it was agreed that Kamteni did not meet the provisions for a provincial funeral.
“The premier wrote to the mayor of Intsika Yethu requesting them to collaborate and try to assist in organising the funeral.”
Godlimbi also said the qualification for a provincial funeral was a technical matter and not a value-judgement about a person.
“It was what he explained to the family,” he said.
“He (Nyhontso) is playing politics. There is no malicious statement made by the premier.”
Godlimbi insisted that Mabuyane had committed to provide support towards the burial of Kamteni at the Ndonga administrative area in Lady Frere.
Cape Times