THE deployment of the army in the Durban CBD has sparked a political fallout within the IFP after the party's deputy mayoral candidate for eThekwini, Sizwe "Mavava" Sikhakhane, lashed out at the KwaZulu-Natal Premier over the deployment.
Sikhakhane, who led IFP members during a protest outside Home Affairs on Che Guevara Road last week against the issuing of asylum seeker permits to foreign nationals, was speaking outside the Durban Magistrates' Court yesterday.
In a hard-hitting rebuke of Ntuli's decision to deploy the army, Sikhakhane distanced the IFP from the controversial decision, saying "it was taken by him (Ntuli) and not the IFP". Sikhakhane was attending the first court appearance of the members of March and March who were arrested on Saturday afternoon in Durban while allegedly mobilising others to disrupt the MTN8 final at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
The March and March activists, Sphelele "Magolide" Shinga and Malizo Dzanibe were released on R1,000 bail each. Wandile Nsimande, who is a parolee, has been remanded in police custody.
Sikhakhane questioned why KZN Premier Thami Ntuli did not deploy the army against thousands of foreign nationals who were outside Home Affairs and deport them to their respective countries.
"We are beginning to question what soldiers are here for. Are they here to disturb the peace of South Africans because they and the government have failed dismally to police the border?" said Sikhakhane.
He also demanded that the premier should provide an update on the illegal foreigners who were arrested leading up to the 30 June deadline for foreigners to return to their countries.
"It is clear that this is not the Mphemba (clan name for Ntuli) that works for the people anymore, but it is the Mphemba that works for foreigners," he said.
In another social media post, Sikhakhane challenged Ntuli to take the nation into his confidence on why police officers, who fall under his political leadership, were unable to handle the situation.
When asked whose side he is on regarding the deployment of the army, Sikhakhane said: "I am with the community, and if some community members will die for this country, I want to be on that list. I want to be on the top five of the community members who will die for this."
Sikhakhane, who is also the IFP Durban Central Constituency Chairperson and a businessman with interests in the taxi industry, said after realising that there were so many illegal immigrants outside Home Affairs, Ntuli should have utilised the state's power, including deploying the soldiers, to round up those who are in the country illegally and deport them to their countries.
"The government can't protect criminals (who are here illegally) but fails to do the same to protect the community. Soldiers are unable to stop the flood of illegal immigrants, but they are able to stop the community trying to remove those who should not be in the country," said Sikhakhane.
A source in the IFP described Sikhakhane's conduct as reckless.
"This populist rhetoric is a trap that Mavava has fallen into. As the new leader, he appears to be adopting a populist view to align himself with the community, to say things that he believes will resonate with the community rather than adopting the position expected of a leader who should base his views on the available facts.
"I wonder whether, if he were appointed deputy mayor and faced a similar challenge, he would be able to speak in the same manner."
The source also slammed Sikhakhane for addressing the issue publicly. "As the IFP leader in Durban Central, he has a platform to raise it directly with the chairperson at a meeting," said the source.