Tito Mboweni a ‘drunkard’ – Shivambu lashes out after ruckus in Parly

EFF deputy president and MP Floyd Shivambu hit back at Finance Minister Tito Mboweni’s criticism of the EFF’s conduct in the National Assembly on Thursday, saying “Drunkards must focus on alcohol and Magoebaskloof”.

This after Mboweni accused the EFF on Twitter of being disorderly and disrespectful to President Cyril Ramaphosa during his question and answer session.

Responding to MPs questions during a hybrid sitting of the House, Ramaphosa’s was briefly interrupted by Shivambu and several EFF MPs who quizzed him about his legitimacy as the country’s president following his “counter-suspension” from the ANC by the party’s suspended secretary-general Ace Magashule.

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“All of us who are here are representing political parties and, as far as we are concerned, Mr Ramaphosa is suspended from the ANC. He must clarify who is he representing, is he representing his jacket or a political party because he is not,” Shivambu said.

However, his question was shot down by the deputy speaker of the National Assembly, Lechesa Tsenoli, who said the question was not related to Ramaphosa’s responsibilities as the head of state.

DA leader John Steenhuisen also accused the president of “waging a factional war” while the country faced several challenges.

In response, Ramaphosa told Steenhuisen to mind his own business because “what is happening in the ANC is not your business.”

‘Disruptive’ and ‘drunkards’

Taking to Twitter after Ramaphosa’s session, Mboweni without specifically naming the EFF tweeted: “To be disruptive, disorderly, disrespectful, uncouth, ungovernable and noisy in the National Assembly is not revolutionary. It is left-wing childishness!! Actually right-wing behaviour and anti-democracy!”

To be disruptive, disorderly, disrespectful, uncouth, ungovernable and noisy in the National Assembly is not revolutionary. It is left-wing childishness!! Actually right-wing behaviour and anti democracy!

— Tito Mboweni (@tito_mboweni) May 6, 2021

In response, Shivambu took a swipe at the minister and accused him of being a drunkard who attends “90% of National Treasury meetings under the influence of alcohol.” He also said Mboweni had failed to manage South Africa’s economy and to implement resolutions of the ANC’s 2017 national conference on the establishment of a state bank.

He tweeted: “To dismally fail to manage South Africa’s economy and to attend 90% of National Treasury meetings under the influence of alcohol. Failure to implement resolutions on State Bank and Sarb [South African Reserve Bank] is counter revolutionary and reactionary. Drunkards must focus on alcohol and Magoebaskloof.”

To dismally fail to manage South Africa’s economy and to attend 90% of National Treasury meetings under the influence of alcohol. Failure to implement resolutions on State Bank and SARB is counter revolutionary and reactionary. Drunkards must focus on alcohol and Magoebaskloof. https://t.co/VdJCXDzTWi

— Floyd Shivambu (@FloydShivambu) May 6, 2021

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