‘Leader or the heir?’- Mbalula ‘throws shade at Zuma and MK’ after election court victory

Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula had social media in a frenzy after his comments that many believed were aimed at Jacob Zuma.

The Electoral Court on Tuesday ruled against the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) for the removal of Zuma from the MK’s candidates list, giving the go-ahead for the former president to participate in the upcoming elections.

Taking to X after the court’s decision was announced, Mbalula remarked: “A father does not show gratitude to his son who brings back his whole livestock on the same day. However, he [the father] waits for the appropriate day to show him his value. 29 May is the day!

“Inheritance will be shared on the 29^th. The difference between a leader and an heir will be clear. The party will have to decide whether it is the leader or the heir.

“The cow destroys the house. Do not blame the roofer, when the builder built a low wall,” the X post read.

ALSO READ: Electoral Court rules in favour of Zuma and MK party ahead of 29 May polls

‘Stressed’ Mbalula

Although Mbalula did not mention Jacob Zuma by name, social media users believed he was referring to the former president in his remarks.

One joked Zuma has made a “stressed” Mbalula “into a poet”, while others suggested the politician was predicting that the ANC would show it was the “leader” in this year’s elections.

“They will jump up and down for silly court victories! The real victory is on the 29th of May! KZN is well defended,” one of the ANC supporters said.

Attempts to get additional clarity from Mbalula’s office were unsuccessful at the time of publishing this article. Any update will be included once received.

READ MORE: ‘No one can stop me’: Zuma says ‘that boy from Nkandla’ didn’t finish his term as president

MK party argues for right to vote

In the court proceedings on Monday, Advocate Dali Mpofu told the Electoral Court, sitting in Johannesburg that neither the IEC nor the court itself could deny MK supporters their right to vote for and be led by whomever they choose. Which in this case is the former president.

“At face value, we are dealing with the right to vote for those who support this party and former president Jacob Zuma… We find [it] disturbing that the attitude of the electoral commission in this matter is exactly the opposite. The attitude has been: ‘Let’s see where we can catch him… Let’s ensure he doesn’t come out alive.

“That cannot be the attitude of a South African institution, let alone an independent institution whose job it is to ensure that our Section 19 rights (every citizen is free to make political choices) are realised,” Mpofu argued.

ALSO READ: ‘He’s a liability’ – Mbalula criticised for video of him dancing on Nile River instead of ‘stopping ANC decline’

IEC on Zuma’s sentence

IEC’s counsel Advocate Thembeka Ngcukaitobi asserted that Zuma’s arrest is what mattered most.

Ngcukaitobi argued that President Cyril Ramaphosa’s pardon on Zuma did not translate to the erasure of the 15 month sentence.

He said Section 47 (1) (e) of the Constitution speaks about the sentence imposed by the court.

“The reason we have Section 47 (1) (e) is because it is a legislative determination that certain convictions and certain offences would preclude a person from exercising their rights to come to Parliament.

“The reason they put it at 12 months is because it is a signal of the seriousness not only of the conviction but of the offence, and the reason they also make it clear that there should be no option of a fine because what the constitutional drafters are trying to tell us is that serious lawbreakers should not be lawmakers,” Ngcukaitobi argued.

MORE TO READ: Mbalula: It is very painful to see your own comrades being arrested