Durban — Shamin "Chippy" Shaik, infamous for being chief of acquisitions for the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) during the arms deal, and youngest brother in the well-known Shaik family, recently burnt his ANC T-shirt in protest.
This follows the decision by the liberation movement to go into partnership with the DA after the recent elections, where there was no outright majority winner.
Shaik carried out this act in the form of a social media video announcement. In the video, titled “A Promise is A Promise”, Shaik is seen displaying a classic ANC golfer T-shirt, accompanied by his speech on “his abusive relationship” with the ANC since 24 years of age.
“I’ve been an active ANC member from the age of 24 years old. I'm 64 years old this year, which means I’ve spent the last 40 years of my adult life, promoting and supporting the ideals of the ANC as espoused in the Freedom Charter,” Shaik said.
Shaik told the story of how he had also been arrested several times in the ’80s for opposing the apartheid government at the time.
He shared his experiences such as suffering solitary confinement for almost two years in various police stations across the country without any charge.
According to Shaik, he has been voting for the ANC since the first democratic elections in 1994 right up to the recent elections of May 2024. The biggest mistake, according to him, was for the ANC to get into a government partnership with the DA.
“I made a promise to my ANC colleagues that should the ANC government go into a coalition with the DA, that I will publicly burn my ANC T-shirt in disgust at such a decision,” said Shaik.
@chipanos ♬ original sound - chipanos
Shaik further stated that it would not be a pleasant experience for him and a million others, witnessing John Steenhuisen gloat on television about becoming part of the government.
For millions and many others like him, it would be the worst experience seeing Steenhuisen gloating on national television, “about making a change in the South African government system is just too much for me and millions like me to bear”, Shaik said.
According to his knowledge, Shaik said, the DA publicly supports the murderous regime of Israel that murders thousands of innocent Palestinians.
He said he is taking this action because participating in such would feel to him like betraying his heritage.
“So today I will burn my ANC T-shirt in public, as promised. After 40 years with the ANC,” Shaik said.
Reacting to the video, ANC spokesperson in KwaZulu-Natal, Mafika Mndebele, said people like Shaik are raw elements and anarchists the ANC would not worry about when they leave the party.
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