ANC MP and gender-based violence activist Princess Faku was left with egg on her face after photographs of her draping the grieving mother of slain and hacked Fort Hare student Nosicelo Mtebeni with ANC colours caused an uproar this week.
Faku has since apologised for covering Ntombizodwa Mtebeni with ANC regalia.
The pictures were taken when the family was accompanied by the members of the ANC Women’s League while visiting the spot where Nosicelo’s dismembered body was found in a suitcase and plastic bags in Quigney, East London on Thursday morning.
The grisly find sparked outrage especially among GBV activists.
Nosicelo’s head and hands were found hidden inside a cupboard in the home that she shared with the accused, Alutha Pasile.
In a surprise statement outside court in East London, the NPA said he had confessed to hitting Nosicelo’s head against a door in a fit of jealously and that she had foamed from the mouth and died. The “murder” confession is still to be tested in court.
Even though the local government elections are around the corner, Faku denied that she was using the family’s grief for campaigning.
But the DA and EFF were quick to jump in when the pictures started trending on social media, accusing the ruling party of callous opportunism.
But when told about the social media storm, Faku responded: “It’s an unfortunate situation.
“I am a person who takes criticism in a positive spirit ... electioneering never even crossed my mind.”
Faku said she respected people’s opinions “because that’s all our democracy is about. In our culture, whenever something happens you cover yourself [when you are mourning]”.
It was just a helpless moment for me seeing the pain in Nosicelo’s mother. The robing was just covering her
Though she acknowledged that the incident may have offended some people, Faku said she had been at the forefront in the fight against GBV.
“It was just a helpless moment for me seeing the pain in Nosicelo’s mother. The robing was just covering her,” she said.
She insisted that she did not want to justify herself.
“I apologise if I offended anyone,” Faku said.
“Our fight is against GBV. Let’s all hold hands together and fight the animal that is killing women and children in our country.”
Social media users called on politicians to let the family mourn in peace.
The EFF described the images as distasteful, while the DA accused the ANC of trying to score cheap political points.
EFF regional secretary Siya Rumbu said: “It is distasteful, but we are not shocked at all. It is in their bone and marrow. It’s in their DNA.”
Labelling the ANC as an insensitive and opportunistic party, Rumbu said they “lacked the basic elements of ubuntu”.
“They have all the resources to help umama deal with her trauma. Instead they choose to subject her to more trauma,” he said.
“Umama still has to digest the barbaric and cold murder of her daughter. They could easily arrange counselling, make funeral arrangements, assist with anything the family may need.
“They could easily support EFF sponsored motions and pass laws that would allow for GBV cases to be fast-tracked and perpetrators given the harshest sentences.”
DA Women’s Network (Dawn) deputy provincial chair Anathi Majeke called Faku’s actions “very deplorable, an opportunistic act of campaigning by the ANC”.
This was cheap political point scoring by the ANC and deserves strong condemnation
“The march served a purpose of standing together in support of the victim. This was cheap political point scoring by the ANC and deserves strong condemnation.”
Asked whether she was disappointed with how things panned out, Faku said: “I hope we can give the family space to grieve. I will not want to comment on this matter any more.”
ANC provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi had not responded to the Dispatch request for comments at the time of publishing.
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