Herman Mashaba Hurt by 'Apartheid Rule' Comments by Youth Berating ANC

• ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba is lamenting comments made by the youth about apartheid
• Mashaba's reaction comes after Soweto leader Nhlanhla Lux Dlamini slammed the ruling party over power cuts
• Online, many were critical of Mashaba's stance, urging him to, instead, focus his energy on making a change

JOHANNESBURG - A chord was struck with Herman Mashaba in recent days as angry youth took to social media to lament the situation that has erupted in Diepkloof, Soweto, after weeks without electricity.

Since then, the ActionSA leader has expressed dismay over comments that life was better under the oppressive apartheid regime compared to how it has been with the African National Congress (ANC) in power.

It comes after a community member of Soweto, Nhlanhla Lux Dlamini, slammed the ruling party for failing residents after Eskom disconnected electricity in Diepkloof Zone 3, which has since sparked tense protests, according to a TimesLIVE report.

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Dlamini's remarks that residents are thankful "to the whites that we do not like" for building Soweto's infrastructure and that the government of the day led by black people has failed them set off a frenzy online.

Per IOL, Mashaba, whose party this week blocked the second sitting of the City of Joburg to appoint Section79 committees ahead of the appointment of mayoral committee members, said it saddened him listening to the sentiments expressed by the youth.

“It cuts even deeper when I hear this language from the youth. They've never lived under apartheid. Instead, they heard this from their parents. Apartheid was never good, and we ought to fix the country now for future generations,” Mashaba said.

Surprising online reactions crop up

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Netizens were mostly critical of Mashaba's stance, urging him to focus his energy towards making a change to the current plight of the youth. Many agreed that the time before democracy surpassed their present existence.

Briefly News to the comments section to bring readers all the loud reactions to Mashaba's remarks.

@Jemairon Fredericko Knights wrote:

"The youth? They never lived under apartheid they are experiencing the after-effects."

@Fıkıle Madıba said:

"Mashaba one thing at a time. Because you said foreigners must go after that our youth must get jobs."

@Zameka Zet added:

"But our Youth baBusy buTywala and ngapha Nigerians are busy destroying our youth."

Nhlanhla Lux trends over Diepkloof electricity situation

Elsewhere, Briefly News recently reported that the situation in Diepkloof Zone 3 in Soweto remains volatile as residents demand electricity to be restored following several weeks without power, which was disconnected by Eskom due to, among other reasons, illegal connections in the area.

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As a result, the community went on a rampage, barricading roads with burning tyres and large rocks as they called on the national power supplier to act on their demands or face their wrath.

They also accused the new Mayor of the City of Johannesburg Mpho Phalatse of ignoring their pleas, despite the widespread meter bypassing and purchasing of electricity from 'ghost vendors' as has been stated by the former.

Briefly News reported earlier that the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) berated Phalatse over what the party labelled as unfair electricity disconnections. The party accused Phalatse of demonstrating a willingness to oppress the poor residents of the city in an effort to satisfy her so-called white masters.

Source: Briefly News