Former president Jacob Zuma has assured Afrikaners that the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party will not kill them if the party comes into power.
Zuma said even after the unbanning of the African National Congress (ANC) in 1990, when they returned from exile, their mission was to unite South Africans.
He said that has not changed and they still believe in unity between white people and black people in the country.
Zuma was on Saturday addressing Afrikaners in Pretoria where he has been on a campaign trail.
“There is a history that we went through. Everybody. Not just between blacks and whites, but blacks and blacks. The man I was talking about here Shaka created a nation out of tough (conditions). In South Africa as well, it is not just blacks and whites, but blacks and blacks,” said Zuma.
Zuma continued: “I think what I was saying here is that we develop, all of us, from the olden days to today and we have always been saying to ourselves ‘let us unite’. We are not going to kill anyone. Not at all.”
The former president said they have always believed in discussing differences with their political opponents and other South Africans, rather than waging a war.
He said the Afrikaners should also believe and trust him that South Africa will not return to its dark past where there was violence, adding that they have passed that stage now.
“That is the reason why, perhaps, I was chosen to start talks about and bring South Africa where it was supposed to be. No killing.”
“That is why I am saying we need to sit and talk and make South Africa our country. I will never kill anyone. There will never be such an episode, which was there between blacks and blacks and blacks and whites. We have passed that stage. We are at the stage where we can sit and talk and conclude our discussions and our agreements. No one should fear me. Absolutely, I am just a simple guy from Nkandla.”
The former president stated no one had a right to kill another person and people have to sit down and find a solution.
Zuma’s assurances to the Afrikaners comes against the backdrop of threats from MK leaders that there will be no elections if Zuma was not on the ballot paper.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said they will deal with any violence.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
IOL Politics