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

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi continues to stick to his guns following the backlash to a tweet following the Springboks’ victory over England in the Rugby World Cup final on Sunday, earning the support of party leader Julius Malema.

Shortly after the match was over, Ndlozi congratulated team captain Siya Kolisi but told the rest of the team to “go get your congratulations from Prince Harry”, in a tweet which was met with a significant backlash.

On Monday morning, The Citizen covered several tweets in which he doubled down on his sentiments.

Since then he has published two more.

In the first, he said the EFF wash “pushing against all efforts to pull a 1994/1996 on us AGAIN”.

“We will not take the sleeping tablets of Rugby euphoria” again, he continued.

“We will be better than our parents; we choose to feel the PAINFUL TRUTH of our wretched conditions.

“WE REFUSE UNITY WITHOUT EQUALITY AND THE LAND.”

Shortly afterwards, he took to Twitter yet again to share the iconic photo of Kolisi holding up the World Cup trophy, surrounded by his teammates, and said this was an example of black excellence rather than racial unity.

“Because we recognise that Siya lifts a trophy for the most unequal nation in the world. A place where the white minority lives every day from the exploitation of blacks. He is part of this reality even as he lifts this trophy!” he continued.

READ MORE: Ndlozi accuses Grootes of inciting ‘black on black violence’ by criticising his Kolisi tweet

Malema took to Twitter to offer his unconditional support for his party’s spokesperson.

“I don’t know why [Ndlozi] is trending but I agree with him,” he tweeted.

At the time of publication, Ndlozi was not trending on Twitter, although his tweets were the topic of much debate.

Ndlozi’s tweet just after the South African rugby team won the 2019 World Cup on Sunday was met with fierce criticism, and prompted The Citizen online editor Charles Cilliers to ask, in the headline to his column responding to the tweet: “Ndlozi, were you born an ass or did you just work hard to become one?”

The EFF spokesperson has not responded to requests for comment.

This followed the Springboks dominating the English rugby team to win 32-12, in our third time winning the Rugby World Cup.

In a speech following the victory, Kolisi acknowledged that “we face a lot of challenges”.

“But you know the people of South Africa have gotten behind us. And we are so grateful [to] the people of South Africa. And, you know, we have so many problems in our country, but in a team like this, you know, we come from different backgrounds, different races, and we came together with one goal, to show we can achieve it,” he continued. 

We call this #BlackExcellence, NOT RACIAL UNITY. Because we recognize that Siya lifts a trophy for the most unequal nation in the world. A place where the white minority lives everyday from the exploitation of blacks. He is part of this reality even as he lifts this trophy! pic.twitter.com/osdos6Vmyr

— Mbuyiseni Ndlozi (@MbuyiseniNdlozi) November 4, 2019

We are pushing against all efforts to pull a 1994/1996 on us AGAIN. We will not take the sleeping tablets of Rugby euphoria AGIAN. We will be better than our parents; we choose to feel the PAINFUL TRUTH of our wretched conditions

WE REFUSE UNITY WITHOUT EQUALITY AND THE LAND

— Mbuyiseni Ndlozi (@MbuyiseniNdlozi) November 4, 2019

I don’t know why @MbuyiseniNdlozi is trending but I agree with him. #Ndlozi pic.twitter.com/zVnj50wyIq

— Julius Sello Malema (@Julius_S_Malema) November 4, 2019

(Compiled by Daniel Friedman)

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