Home » The Speech Everyone’s Talking About: Sipho Pityana in FULL

The Speech Everyone’s Talking About: Sipho Pityana in FULL

JOHANNESBURG – Businessman and former trade unionist Sipho Pityana has been praised for his no holds barred speech at the funeral of former Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile yesterday… hailed by some South Africans as the first to “have the backbone” to say what is on the minds of many ANC members. Pityana delivered a bold and brutal indictment on the […]

By SAPeople
26-08-16 09:22
in News

JOHANNESBURG – Businessman and former trade unionist Sipho Pityana has been praised for his no holds barred speech at the funeral of former Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile yesterday… hailed by some South Africans as the first to “have the backbone” to say what is on the minds of many ANC members.

Pityana delivered a bold and brutal indictment on the ruling ANC (“a party in crisis”) and President Jacob Zuma. He was speaking at the funeral in his capacity as a friend of the family. Stofile died last week at the age of 72.

Pityana’s fiery speech received a standing ovation from members of the audience, whilst cabinet ministers and ANC Secretary-General Gwede Mantashe seemed less than impressed.

Zuma was away at a summit in Kenya. Mantashe was present along with Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, former President Kgalema Motlanthe and Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula.

Pityana reminded the congregation of the Xhosa hymn Zemk’inkomo magwala ndini (which means “Wake up, the cows are being stolen while you people are sitting doing nothing”).

Watch Sipho Pityana’s FULL speech below. Some comments include:

“I am very disappointed that the president is not here because I prepared the speech in anticipation that he will be here.”

“If the president was here, I would have asked, begged, pleaded with him, I would have prayed. I would say to him hand over the reins.”

“Once the ConCourt says you failed to uphold your oath of office, you are honourable no longer. You are untrustworthy!!”

“Which ANC is this? Without any conference resolutions, that makes statements which attack judges as counter revolutionary.”

“Our movement is in crisis and is tried beyond question. If you doubted it look at what happened during local government elections.”

“Our setbacks are self-inflicted. We have ceded our moral high ground to the opponents.”

“We say we are a party of the constitution… But many doubt it because we give them reason to do so. For, no lesser person than the president of our movement and our country takes every opportunity to show nothing but disdain and contempt for our constitution.”

“When Stof was premier he did not build himself an extravaganza worth R250m in the midst of poverty.”

Of Stofile he said that he always reminded him “that there is an important qualification that Oliver Tambo raised, that we should be cadres with questioning loyalty.”

 “… the country is in trouble. Those of us who love the ANC have to get up and do something.”

Watch Video: Sipho Pityana pays tribute to Makhenkhesi Stofile (and attacks South African President Jacob Zuma)