Cope leader Mosiuoa Lekota has called on the ANC to recall International Relations minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane over her remarks that former president Nelson Mandela was responsible for the power white people have in South Africa, EWN reported on Monday.
"It was her [Mashabane's] duty to tell him [Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe] that our country has one government which has black and white South Africans involved, who are governing with one executive and judiciary." Lekota reportedly said.
He accused the minister of being an enemy of a non-racial country.
Lekota was reacting to comments made by Nkoana-Mashabane at the SADC summit when she was questioned by Mugabe last week. According to EWN, Nkoana-Mashabane was asked by Mugabe why whites still wield power in South Africa.
She reportedly responded by saying it was Mandela's mistake. The International Relations department declined to comment.
Nkoana-Mashabane has been the focus of attention lately for her controversial decision to grant diplomatic immunity to Mugabe's wife, Zimbabwean first lady Grace Mugabe. Grace left South Africa days after news broke that she had assaulted model Gabriella Engels in a hotel room. She had been granted diplomatic immunity. Engels was with her two sons at the time.
The DA on Monday made an application in the Constitutional Court to have the decision to grant Mugabe diplomatic immunity set aside, the Mail & Guardian reports. (https://mg.co.za/article/2017-08-25-da-goes-to-concourt-to-have-mugabe-immunity-set-aside)