Fikile Mbalula rubs his head during a media briefing about the results of the ANC's Strategy and Tactics panel at the party's 54th National Elective Conference at Nasrec, Johannesburg on 20 December 2017. Nathi Mthethwa and Mbalula spoke about changes in the panel's policy, the importance of gender equity and the need to institute an inquiry on state capture. Picture: Yeshiel Panchia
Former police minister Fikile Mbalula’s new job is head of elections at Luthuli House.
Razzmatazz was dumped by President Cyril Ramaphosa in Monday’s cabinet reshuffle.
ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte has put a positive spin on the disappointment for the flamboyant Mbaks, by saying that the party’s special national executive committee (NEC) meeting from 24 February had resolved “to deploy several Chairpersons of committees to Luthuli House in line with resolutions of successive national conferences to expand and strengthen the organisation’s capacity to execute the tasks and demands of the current phase of the revolution”.
She said that with “Mbalula’s leadership at the helm of our elections machinery” the ANC would “advance towards a landslide victory in the 2019 National Elections”.
The position of head of elections has traditionally not been an exclusive one, with Nomvula Mokonyane having previously fulfilled the role while simultaneously being a minister.
On Monday night Mbalula wished the new police minister, Bheki Cele, well. He wrote: “This reshuffle thing is painful hahahaha !!! If u don’t know Mina am GOOD!!!!”
He changed his Twitter profile this week, removing his self-proclaimed moniker of “Mr Fearfokkol”, instead calling himself the ANC Elections Chair.
He is the ANC’s most followed politician on social media.
