A memorial service of the late IFP founder Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi was turned into political football by members of the EFF.
The red berets launched a tirade against a section of society vilifying the veteran politician. Buthelezi died early on Saturday morning aged 95.
“Never be shaken by the negativity, ill-informed and ignorant people who are taking platforms to say all types of things.
“uShenge [Buthelezi clan name] was a man of peace,” said EFF MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi.
“Never be shaken by opportunists and hypocrites who want to educate us about our history and the leadership that stabilised this country into a politically peaceful environment.”
His remarks were met with loud applause by hundreds of mourners who gathered for the memorial at the Prince Mangosuthu Regional Stadium in Ulundi on Wednesday.
Ndlozi told mourners that Buthelezi was never an apartheid apologist, saying instead, he was a man of peace.
He also committed that the red berets will do anything in their power to dislodge the governing ANC in KwaZulu-Natal by collaborating with the IFP.
Outside the pitch, with the weather alternating from being extremely cold to being scorching hot, throngs of IFP supporters and amabutho (regiments) armed with traditional weapons sang songs praising Buthelezi, who lived a colourful political life.
Inside a huge tent, which was erected in the middle of the pitch, dignitaries, clergymen, representatives from different political formations, MPs and academics took turns at the podium to pay homage to Buthelezi, whose detractors call a war lord turned peace maker.
ANC chief in parliament Pemmy Majodina told mourners that Buthelezi was a respected and distinguished politician.
“He was patriotic about South Africa. Whenever he was out of the country, he never spoke ill about our country,” said Majodina.
Earlier on Wednesday, the ANC in the provincial legislature issued a statement stopping its leaders from posting inflammatory messages about Buthelezi.
The party said such messages have a potential to trigger tensions between the ANC and the IFP.
Buthelezi will be laid to rest under the traditional practice of ukutshalwa kwenkosi (planting of the prince) at his ancestral home of KwaPhindangene on Saturday afternoon.
Early this week, President Cyril Ramaphosa accorded Buthelezi a special official funeral category one.
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