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Sihle Zikalala on Patrice Motsepe's message to Trump: 'We are not friends with imperialists'

ANC KwaZulu-Natal premier Sihle Zikalala.
ANC KwaZulu-Natal premier Sihle Zikalala.
Image: THULI DLAMINI

ANC KwaZulu-Natal premier Sihle Zikalala is the latest to voice his opinion on businessman Patrice Motsepe's “Africa loves Trump” comments.

In viral video, Motsepe told US president Donald Trump: “Africa loves America. Africa loves you. It's very, very important. We want America to do well. We want you to do well. The success of America is the success of the rest of the world.”

Clapping back, Zikalala said Africa was no friend of Trump.

Without mentioning Motsepe's name, Zikalala, in vernacular, said rich people tended to speak out of turn to accumulate more wealth.

“We are not friends with imperialists, we are not friends with barbarians.

“We’ve got nothing to benefit from Donald Trump. It is him who is causing disorder in Iran,” said Zikalala.

 

Motsepe on Tuesday apologised for the remarks, releasing a statement explaining his motive.

"My remarks at the dinner with President Donald Trump were partly aimed at encouraging discussions between the Trump Administration and African political and business leaders, particularly in the context of the increasing feedback from certain American political and business leaders that South Africa and some African countries are anti-America and its political leadership."

Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi recently criticised Trump for his response to Iran's attack on US military bases in Iraq.

“Trump spoke like a militiaman who is praising having lots of weapons and all that, instead of calling for peace around the world, which everybody is striving for,” said Motsoaledi.

“In fact, he is bullying all the nations, calling nations that are sitting with him in security councils to reconsider.

“I think we are in trouble. The whole world is in trouble, because we’ve got a man who is the head of a very powerful nation, has no leadership qualities at all. It is very unfortunate.”

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