Mbalula says ANC campaign video model is ‘clued up’ and ‘woke’

ANC head of elections Fikile Mbalula took to social media on Thursday to defend the party’s decision to use Rethabile Lethoko, a model and entrepreneur, in its election campaign video. Mbalula slammed Lethoko’s critics, saying the video was not an ad according to his definition, as it only served to encourage South Africans to register to vote.

Though social media users said there was no “real” content in the video, and further accused the ANC of using the woman’s beauty to get votes, Mbalula said Lethoko spoke about social progress. He said she was “clued up” and “woke” enough to speak on transformation without a script.

“This is not an ad, can we get that right for starters. It’s a video about the need to register to vote, Rethabile is a super model, she speaks out about social progress unscripted. Dictionary definition proper, She was not promoting a product she was expressing her views about social transformation its called Social consciousness [sic]. She’s clued up, she’s woke,” said Mbalula.

The ruling party was highly criticised on social media by those who said the video looked like it was advertising Lux or Avon products.

“I’ve been on Satiskin, I’ve been on the cover of the Edgars magazine, I’ve been in stores, like when you walk into a store, you pretty much see my face there sometimes,” said Lethoko in her introduction before sharing how she thinks the ANC can improve.

Lethoko said the government should try to reinforce their existing policies, “if they haven’t done so already”, in addition to dealing with the high unemployment rate and improving “social security”.

But social media users said there was “dololo content” in the video, and have since advised the ruling party to take the video down.

“They think her beauty will make us vote for them… she’s paid to look pretty on this ad with her little gestures as [though] she’s advertising Avon products while the poor have no shelter, water [and] electricity… PATHETIC,” said Palesa Tshabalala Ngobeni on Facebook.

(Compiled by Vhahangwele Nemakonde)

Also read: WATCH: Social media users say ANC campaign video looks like a Lux advert

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