Al Jama-ah member of Western Cape legislature forced to apologise after praying for ANC election win

Al Jama-ah member of the Western Cape legislature, Galil Brinkhuis, who disregarded his party’s opposition to a proposal for an energy Bill – and said he’d pray for an ANC win at the polls – has been rebuked by his party and forced to apologise.

Brinkhuis was speaking during a sitting to consider a report of the Standing Committee on Finance, Economic Opportunities and Tourism on the Upstream Petroleum Resource Development Bill on Tuesday.

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The Bill seeks to separate petroleum provision from mineral provision, as currently provided for in the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act. 

Among the Bill’s aims is the economic transformation of the industry and enhancement of the participation of black people and the state in the industry. It includes provisions that promote petroleum resource development sustainably and equitably. 

It was approved by the National Assembly in October last year and now provinces are debating whether to support the Bill in the National Council of Provinces. 

When it was Brinkhuis’ turn to speak on whether Al Jama-ah supported the Bill, he not only backed it but also threw in a prayer for the ANC to win next week’s general elections.

“We support this Bill of the ANC,” he said during the sitting. “... and we make Duha (prayer), that the ANC, they stay in power nationally. We also pray and make Duha to Allah that the ANC take the lead here in the Western Cape after the elections… and they keep up the good work.”

To listen to a recording, check-in from 16.43 here: Sitting of the House, 21 May 2024, 10:00 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6mLZAk-8Jo&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymaverick.co.za%2F&source_ve_path=OTY3MTQ&feature=emb_imp_woyt

Other parties did not respond to his offer of a prayer for the ANC, but both the DA and EFF said they did not support the Bill. 

In a statement on Wednesday, Al Jama-ah leader and MP, Ganief Hendricks, said Brinkhuis had acted without a mandate by offering prayers for the ANC to win the upcoming elections.

“We appreciate the ANC government’s initiation of the case before the ICJ to stop the genocide in Palestine, and we will continue to support this effort. But that is where our praise ends,” he said. 

“We observe that even though the ANC supports the issuance of an arrest warrant for the Zionist war criminal Benny Netanyahu and others for the genocide of Palestinians, they also endorse the issuing of an arrest warrant for the Hamas freedom fighters…

“It’s like calling for the arrests of ANC, PAC and Azapo resistance fighters during apartheid.” 

Hendricks added that Al Jama-ah has many fundamental policy differences that cannot be reconciled with ANC actions. These include a commitment to addressing and ending corruption, equity for all people, and justice at all levels of state and society. 

The party’s leadership summoned Brinkhuis to explain himself. 

Hendricks said Brinkhuis was told by the party that he had gone too far and that his offer of special prayers for the ANC to win the election was out of line with the party’s interests and beliefs, as the ANC had failed the people of South Africa. 

“We will give Brinkhuis a fair chance to explain himself. As a party, we owe it to our supporters and members to provide clarity on this matter,” he added. 

Brinkhuis has meanwhile apologised for his remarks in the legislature, adding that he was not permitted to speak to the media. 

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Al Jama-ah is an ally of the ANC and the party has a mayor in the country’s economic hub, Johannesburg, despite having only three seats in the council. This was made possible through the support of the ANC and EFF. 

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The party has said it is open to working with the ANC to oust the DA in the Western Cape should the opportunity arise after the elections. 

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ANC spokesperson and MPL Khalid Sayed said they respected Al Jama-ah and did not intend to get involved in their internal affairs. 

“What we can make clear is that we have a good working relationship with the party. We have a common goal of ensuring that the DA is removed from power and is replaced with a pro-poor government.” 

Brinkhuis holds the party's only seat in the provincial legislature and is #11 on Al Jama-ah’s candidate list for the national assembly. He is number two on the provincial list. DM

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