Nxesi's 'rented black' comment rattles DA's feathers

“If you are a black person still defending the DA, you are like a rented black.”

These are the words of employment and labour minister Thulas Nxesi which parliament has been asked to act against.   

The 2023/24 department of employment and labour budget vote debate in parliament descended into chaos this week after DA MP Michael Cardo referred to the ANC as a “so-called party of liberation” during his speech, criticising Nxesi's department.

Cardo’s utterances ruffled the feathers of ANC members and Nxesi, in his responses to the debate, spent most of his time reacting to the comments, saying they were “overboard”.  

“We have been too nice to you and now your tails are up in the air because we chose peace instead of war. What you are trying to do now? You are forcing us to be more radical,” he said. 

Nxesi said the DA was enjoying the gains of democracy that was “brought” by the governing party and yet it was undermining the ANC.