Cape Flats pastor Ivan Waldeck has called on coloured leaders and parties with “the coloured agenda” at heart to come together.
|||Cape Town - Cape Flats pastor Ivan Waldeck has called on coloured leaders and parties with “the coloured agenda” at heart to come together to form “a super coloured party”.
The man known as the pastor to gangsters has downplayed his reasons for dropping his support for ex-convict Gayton McKenzie’s newly launched political party, the Patriotic Alliance. He said he had left for “personal reasons”.
And he felt no bitterness that former gang boss and convicted rapist Rashied Staggie had joined McKenzie’s party.
Addressing the media at the Holy Nation of God International Church near Sacks Circle in Bellville South on Monday, Waldeck said he had had a heart-to-heart with Staggie and whatever decision he made about his political future, Staggie had his blessing.
Clutching his Bible, Waldeck took a swipe at the leader of the DA: “Helen Zille is sitting with a loaf of bread giving the people of colour only one slice and protecting the white monopoly of business.”
As for the the government’s BBBEE system, he said it only worked for some people.
“If your surname starts with an X it will work for you.”
But the pastor remained passionate about coloured people and their plight, and called on leaders to form a new super party for coloureds.
Mentioning Peter Marais, Allan Boesak and even Icosa leader Jeffrey Donson, Waldeck said: “I will call a meeting that we can come together as concerned leaders and have a discussion on the way forward.
“Why can’t we come together and form one big political party which would include spiritual leaders?”
And he added: “Come home, Boesak. Come home.”
Waldeck said his friendship with Staggie was more important than politics or personal issues. “So I respect any decision he takes whether he joins the ANC, DA or whatever party.”
Waldeck said because of his personal convictions and spiritual accountability he was not affiliated to any political party.
“As a man of God I have no anger, resentment or differences with any of the leadership of the Patriotic Alliance.
“In fact, I want to wish Gayton McKenzie well.”
He said he was not a leader of the alliance, as had been reported, but had been part of the party’s planning and formation.
“We have brought about 80 percent of the people who are now with McKenzie to the party. He did not know anybody when he came to the Cape with his political ideas.”
warda.meyer@inl.co.za
Cape Argus