Sisulu on viral altercation: He sought to ‘score cheap personal credit’
Human Settlements Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has released a statement following a viral video of an altercation between herself and a housing activist by the name of Nkosikhona Swartbooi. Sisulu visited Taiwan informal settlement in Khayelitsha and it was there where Swartbooi held her to account and said he hopes this time would be different from what took place in Empolweni, he added that he hoped structures would be built. Sisulu walked up to the activist, removed her mask, pointed her finger and claimed that he was lying.
“You’re not going to tape me and talk nonsense. You are talking rubbish, just switch that off. Switch that off. I have said that I will bring the building materials here,” she added.
Following the altercation, Swartbooi claimed that a bodyguard tried to take his phone away to delete the footage. He also claimed there was an attempt to force his colleagues into the back of a Range Rover. Sisulu has since responded with a relatively lengthy statement.
SISULU CONDEMNS ‘OPPORTUNISTS SEEKING TO HIJACK PLIGHT OF THE POOR’
The statement started off by saying that when Sisulu visited Taiwan to inspect damage to structures after a recent blaze, she was confronted by a man making “unfounded accusations”.
The statement further added that in October 2020, Sisulu gave an update in Parliament on what happened since she visited Empolweni.
“Minister Sisulu communicated that she had ‘requested the National Department of Human Settlements and the Housing Development Agency (HDA) to consult with and engage officials from the City of Cape Town in order to make sure that materials (that were seized) were returned as per a court order,” it read.
“However, based on consultations with the community, it appeared that the materials returned, were not suitable to reconstruct their homes. The City of Cape Town was then advised to provide affected households with building kits,” which the HDA had made available for distribution, which was refused by the City of Cape Town,” it added.
“In his interaction with the Minister during her visit in Taiwan, the man clearly sought to insert himself and score cheap personal credit rather than continue to push and assist the Minister who was engaged at the time,” the statement added.
It went on to say that Sisulu is in consultation with her lawyers and will not be “deterred from serving the poorest of the poor and finding a permanent solution for the people of Taiwan, Masiphumelele and other communities across the country affected by similar disasters”.
KHAYELITSHA COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK BLASTS THE MINISTER FOR RECKLESS BEHAVIOUR
In a statement released by Khayelitsha Community Action Network (CAN), it claimed that Sisulu visited Taiwan on 4 January, not on 5 January as the statement said. It also said Swartbooi was simply reminding the minister of the promise she made in Empolweni in April 2020. It added that Sisulu then lashed out in a defensive manner, to the point where she even removed her mask and addressed Swartbooi at close proximity.
“This behaviour by a minister and an elected member of Parliament is uncalled for and reckless,” it said.
Khayelitsha CAN also provided background information regarding Empolweni. Read their full statement below:
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