Mbalula got carried away: Mantashe

ANC National Chairperson, Gwede Mantashe, says Fikile Mbalula got carried away by the presence of the media and said things that he was not supposed to say.

 The party’s secretary-general dropped a bombshell at the weekend in Mbombela ahead of the ANC’s January 8 celebration this weekend, telling supporters that the governing party defended former president Jacob Zuma in his multi-million rand Nkandla upgrade scandal.

 Mbalula revealed that an Ad Hoc Committee was established where the more than the R3 million swimming pool at the then president’s house was deemed a fire pool in a bid to justify spending taxpayers’ money on the pool and other lavish upgrades such as a visitor’s centre and an amphitheater.

 Speaking to journalists on the sidelines, Mantashe said the secretary general’s utterances will be dealt with internally.

 “When you lead, you count every word you say. If you don’t, you catch fire and I think it’s something that he will learn in the trade. As you grow in the trade you understand that you can say things without getting excited, but say things and explain things very well.”

Mantashe, however, maintains that the controversial ‘fire pool’ is a swimming pool with a lot of water and can be used when there’s a fire.

 Mbalula’s utterances were in reaction to Zuma’s latest decision to ditch the ANC and throw his weight behind the newly formed MK party as preparations for this year’s general elections gain momentum.

 While the party has not dealt with the former president’s actions, Mantashe says there’s no need to expel or discipline him as he has already walked away from the party.

 “You can’t do anything with a person who walks away.”

 

Gwede Mantashe, says Fikile Mbalula was carried away by the media presence when he made comments about the firepool #ANC #January8th #RegisterToVote pic.twitter.com/0d9ShKFE8F

— Politics in a second (@Politicsinasec) January 9, 2024

 In response to the backlash over his utterances, Mbalula has now issued a lengthy statement claiming that his assertions were taken out of context.

“Such a move was precisely to protect the ANC President from being unfairly overrun by the malevolent opposition.”

Maqabane

1. Just in case someone wants to deliberately twist what the SG said about the ANC’s involvement in the Nkandla debacle, let us proactively explain both what he said and what he meant in context.

2. The SG made general statements about how the ANC “defended” former…

— ANC SECRETARY GENERAL | Fikile Mbalula (@MbalulaFikile) January 8, 2024