Let people express joy over the Springboks, Zakes Mda tells Ndlozi

Acclaimed author Zakes Mda and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi had an argument on Twitter in the early hours of Wednesday morning, although Mda clarified that what transpired was “a discussion, not a twar”.

The “discussion” began with a tweet from Mda reacting to a video posted by celebrity Maps Maponyane of the many supporters gathered to greet the Springboks on Tuesday evening, on their return from Japan after winning the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Mda expressed the view that those who attended were not fools, and while people are “free to pee on their parade”, they will “rejoice nevertheless”.

This may have been a reaction to those who have expressed negativity over the World Cup win, of which Ndlozi is one of the most prominent examples. The EFF spokesperson came under fire for a tweet in which he congratulated Springboks captain Siya Kolisi but told the rest of the team to “go get your congratulations from Prince Harry”. He subsequently doubled down in a series of tweets expressing the view that win was not a victory for racial unity.

Ndlozi appeared to think Mda’s tweet was aimed at him, as he responded.

“In the 1850s, a prophet existed who initiated a big spiritual movement that led people to kill their cattle. Cut story short: over 40k people died of starvation due to her prophecies. The people were not stupid, they just followed a FALSE prophet,” he tweeted.

“Sounds familiar? FALSE DREAMS!”

READ MORE: Malema agrees with Ndlozi refusing to take ‘sleeping tablets of rugby euphoria’

Nda countered that celebrating the rugby win didn’t necessarily mean one expected “miracles” about the end of inequality.

“I, for one, don’t share any false dream. It was a rugby tournament that SA won and people, some of whom I know for sure are your voters, are happy [and] celebrate. They’re smart people who don’t expect any miracles from their jubilation and are aware that inequalities will continue,” he tweeted.

In another tweet, Mda challenged Ndlozi’s reference to the Xhosa prophet Nongqawuse.

“As for Nongqawuse, I researched that history [and] wrote a book on it. It was more complex than that. There were Believers [and] Unbelievers [and] a civil war broke among the amaGcaleka people as a result. Many were forced to kill their cattle though they didn’t believe in the prophecies,” he wrote.

The author’s last tweet on the subject of rugby spoke of how the Springboks win had inspired his grandson, who was a “great” rugby player.

“My grandson Mhlontlo (Neo’s son) plays rugby for his school and is great. He believes one day he’ll be a Springbok (or whatever the team will be called then.) He finds the [Rugby World Cup] winning team and their captain an inspiration. Now he sees that his is not an impossible dream.”

The full back-and-forth between the pair can be read below:

You see all those people? I don’t think anyone of them is a fool for being there. They’re South Africans celebrating their national team that has won the Rugby World Cup. You’re free to pee on their parade if you like, it being a free country. But they’ll rejoice nevertheless https://t.co/tPLc2DsfBx

— Zakes Mda (@ZakesMda) November 5, 2019

As for Nongqawuse I researched that history & wrote a book on it. It was more complex than that. There were Believers & Unbelievers & a civil war broke among the amaGcaleka people as a result. Many were forced to kill their cattle though they didn’t believe in the prophesies

— Zakes Mda (@ZakesMda) November 5, 2019

Read my tweet again (to which you responded) and you’ll see that it is not on how politicians choose to hijack this rugby victory for their own purposes (eg unity, kumbaya etc). It is on simply letting people express their joy at the achievement. They can’t be stopped anyway https://t.co/KdSp2oRJCj

— Zakes Mda (@ZakesMda) November 5, 2019

I agree with every word here. But what does that have to do with my tweet? Was it about unity? https://t.co/8FSy2PsuSK

— Zakes Mda (@ZakesMda) November 5, 2019

😂! So you thought it was attacking your position? Haha! I was pleasantly surprised at the picture with all those crowds. Right here on this App I was talking to a neuro-surgeon (EFF voter in the last election from her own account) who went there. You see people WANT to celebrate https://t.co/nOuixNmiaG

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— Zakes Mda (@ZakesMda) November 5, 2019

It’s not my argument that victory was false: EFF voters surely know that there is no Racial Unity. That telling us the Rugby Victory means victory over racial division is utterly false. EFF people don’t sing Die Stem, want removal of apartheid symbols, they oppose FALSE UNITY! https://t.co/4JhMaJM42m

— Mbuyiseni Ndlozi (@MbuyiseniNdlozi) November 5, 2019

We can celebrate the victory without celebrating a non-existent unity. https://t.co/Yclyx7A1KA

— Zakes Mda (@ZakesMda) November 5, 2019

It was a discussion, not a twar, and indeed as you rightly point out a civil discourse where there were disagreements at some points and agreements at others https://t.co/rbcCVZmnbL

— Zakes Mda (@ZakesMda) November 6, 2019

My grandson Mhlontlo (Neo’s son) plays rugby for his school and is great. He believes one day he’ll be a Springbok (or whatever the team will be called then.) He finds the #RWC winning team and their captain an inspiration. Now he sees that his is not an impossible dream

— Zakes Mda (@ZakesMda) November 5, 2019

(Compiled by Daniel Friedman)

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