Honeymoon is over as ‘drinking partners’ Malema, Mbalula lock horns
The minister has been kind enough to remind the EFF leader who his drinking partner is.
Julius Malema (back when he was ANCYL leader) and Fikile Mbalula (back when he was Sports and Recreation minister) listen to speeches during the ANC’s 99th birthday party held at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, South Africa, 8 January 2011. Picture: Gallo Images
It seems the honeymoon phase is over between EFF leader Julius Malema and Police Minister Fikile Mbalula, as the two have been exchanging blows on Twitter following the secret ballot ruling on Thursday.
Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng said that after weighing up the issues relating to the upcoming motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma, the National Assembly did have the power to allow a secret ballot, but the Constitutional Court could not order whether or not that should happen.
The Court left it up to speaker of parliament Baleka Mbete to decide whether parliament should allow the secret ballot.
Mbalula took to Twitter following the ruling to shade the opposition parties, including the EFF, for apparently wanting the courts to instruct Mbete on how to do her job.
He said he did not understand why the parties were celebrating when they lost the case, further saying: “It tells us of ideological bankruptcy of the worst kind.”
The ruling was victory for the ANC, as it was “morally boosted”.
In fact, Mbete had never said she was against the secret ballot vote, said Mbalula.
“ANC NEC and Speaker Mbete said: 1) ANC not averse to secret ballot 2) ANC not scared of secret ballot 3) ANC needed legal understanding of law,” he said.
Now everyone has clarity on the secret ballot, which will not change anything, as the “ANC will defeat any motion” against the president.
“#SecretBallot ruling teaches opposition must convince the ANC inside parliament and not run to courts over politics…. why they lost today.
“#SecretBallot ruling is helpful as is, some disgruntled opposition members are calling us – they’ll vote with ANC collective on key matters,” he said.
https://twitter.com/MbalulaFikile/status/877831882443939841
Mbalula’s tweets, however, rubbed Malema the wrong way, who responded on his timeline without tagging the minister.
He slammed the “whole minister” for apparently leaving his duties to “justify” that parliament won a case. If the ruling party won the case, why did he sound so disgruntled? asked Malema.
“One thing I know is that this Minister did not read the court papers and will not read this judgment but he’s busy tweeting about it, hai,” he said.
Malema insisted opposition parties won the case, as the court apparently disagreed with Mbalula’s “drinking mate”, Mbete.
https://twitter.com/MbalulaFikile/status/877841619290120192
“Your drinking mate Baleka said she doesn’t have discretion to grant secrete ballot. We said she does and the court agreed with us Minister,” he said.
Mbalula responded to Malema, saying opposition parties lost because they approached the courts requesting that Mbete be ordered to allow secret ballot, which obviously did not happen.
Why did Malema even bring up the “drinking partner” when he was, in fact, Mbalula’s drinking partner, further saying as a minister and member of parliament, he had every right to comment on the Constitutional Court judgment.
“Nothing odd about commenting on it,” he said.
We guess Mbalula is no longer a reliable activist now as suggested by Malema a few weeks back.
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