ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has come under fire for launching verbal attacks on EFF leader Julius Malema.
In media briefings and party gatherings Mbalula mentions Malema’s name and his party which will celebrate 10 years on July 29, whenever he sees the opportunity and that has made a number of people take to social media to call him out for that.
Mbalula has even been seen blocking Twitter users questioning him or not in tune with what he is saying.
Mbalula recently cautioned ANC members to not to allow new arrivals to hijack the revolution.
“Comrades do not be misled and allow the revolution to be hijacked by bomafikizolo (new kids on the block) who have stolen your slogans and basically claimed them to be their own and formed organisations around them,” said Mbalula.
EFF is known for championing economic freedom in this lifetime, but Mbalula seems to claim that he is one of the people who taught Malema about economic freedom.
“We were in a house when we taught Julius economic freedom. I was with that ungovernable Tony Yengeni, when we taught him economic freedom, and that day, Tony Yengeni was sober and he was leafing that discussion and simfaka ipolitiki (we were schooling Malema politics). We said look, this revelation (sic) is about economic freedom and we have got to be radical,” said Mbalula and a crowd applauded and laughed.
He said Malema took it to the ANCYL.
“It was in a house when we planted those ideas in that head of his and then today he says, no, he is the best thing since sliced bread and the best thinker, what best thinker?” Mbalula asked.
He said when the EFF speaks of politics, it can’t speak without referring to the National Democratic Revolution (NDR).
“He (Malema) left without understanding the NDR, when we were teaching him the NDR he left and we sympathise with him.
“There is no ways the revolution would be defeated by a counter-revolutionary and an anarchist,” Mbalula said.
He said Malema said he (Mbalula) was always on television while he was on television more than two big popular local soapies.
“Azilime zive etsheni” which is loosely translated as “accepting whatever
outcome may arise regardless of the consequences”.
Mbalula further said the deputy president and chief whip of the EFF Floyd Shivambu was the think-tank of the party.
EFF national spokesperson Sinawo Thambo concurred with (political analyst Kim) Heller that Mbalula was obsessed with Malema.
“I think he is immature, foolish and obsessed with the EFF President Malema because he seeks cheap popularity,” Thambo said.
Heller said Mbalula seemed to spend a disproportionately high amount of time and energy on criticising and trying to diminish Malema.
“It is both sad and worrying that a leader of a ruling party that is currently facing many real challenges such as desperate levels of unemployment, lack of energy security, crime and corruption spends the lion’s share of his time criticising a leader of another political party. This behaviour is characteristic of an ANC leadership that has deteriorated into petty politics and has long abandoned the concerns of ordinary South Africans,” said Heller
She also said Mbalula exhibited a low level of political maturity and in time would prove to be a serous liability to the ANC.