Lumka Oliphant now refuses to speak English

Social development department spokesperson Lumka Oliphant has again drawn criticism in relation to her boss, Minister Bathabile Dlamini, for refusing to speak English on an English-medium radio station, 702, when asked to discuss how the social development department intends to pay grants to beneficiaries next month.

Oliphant insisted on speaking isiZulu. In the past, she has spoken English on the show.

She was being questioned on Monday morning by host Xolani Gwala, who attempted to get her to speak English to accommodate all South Africans, but she continued to refuse.

Take a listen:

Twitter users were astounded:

Oliphant was forced to apologise for a social media rant last month in which she swore at people who suggested that Dlamini might enjoy drinking alcohol and was possibly drunk at an official event.

Speaking to Talk Radio 702, Oliphant said (in English at that time) that the “malicious” rumours about Dlamini’s alleged drinking habits had been making the rounds since last year. She admitted her Facebook rant had been irresponsible, unfortunate and regrettable.

ALSO READ: Don’t talk sh*t about Bathabile, says her spokesperson

In her post, which went viral and was since deleted, Oliphant started by warning her boss’s haters, saying she was very capable of tearing apart someone and taking a Facebook or Twitter conversation to the streets.

So if you’re about to say any “sh*t” about her boss, be warned.

“If it were all up to [Dlamini], South Africa would not be drinking, there would be no advertising. So okukun*a nihlala nikuthetha, nikubhala is just that – kukun*a (so the sh*t you always write and talk about is just that – sh*t),” she wrote.

Oliphant said she did not have a problem with people who said whatever they wanted about her politics, as it was part of the game. All she was asking was for people not to talk “sh*t” about her.

“Just know that from today on, I have decided to take this alcohol matter where you have taken it.”

It’s not known whether this latest stunt will also later elicit an apology.

She had already faced criticism on Sunday for her handling of a press conference by her department.