Deputy President David Mabuza is seen during his key note address at the Wildswinkel’s auction venue in Bela-Bela during Landbouweekblad and Agri SA's land summit where farmers across the board can converse with each other, 23 August 2018, Limpopo. Picture: Jacques Nelles
Deputy President David ‘DD’ Mabuza’s Q&A session in parliament today could have been his chance to shine, but has instead been dismissed by some watching it as “shameful”.
Twitter commentators were their usual unforgiving selves, and were quick to dismiss Mabuza’s performance, with one describing the event as being, “a cringe to watch”.
“I can’t believe that he could be the next president of South Africa,” said another user.
Mabuza’s wooden performance even drew comparisons with former President Jacob Zuma, with one user saying he “even has the same mannerisms”.
Mabuza said that the government is looking into the rising cost of living in South Africa, slamming those who blame poverty on the ANC.
READ MORE: New York Times article says Mabuza ‘undercuts New Dawn’ more than anyone else
“It’s easy when you sitting on the other side to criticise. As a government, we have anti-poverty programs to fight poverty, as we are giving our people grants.”
The deputy president seemed to indicate that he feels South Africans should refrain from complaining to avoid any further knocks to the rand.
“We do have challenges and as such we should not upset the economy,” he said.
Mabuza also spoke about the government’s “rigorous plan” to increase investment, their anti-poverty programs, public employment programs and the national minimum wage.
From the response on Twitter, though, not many people were listening.
Mabuza’s reception on Twitter is likely not his biggest problem.
He has been accused of corruption and was recently the subject of a damning article in the New York Times.
They reported that Mabuza allegedly syphoned off vast amounts of money from schools and other public services over the years to “buy loyalty and amass enormous power, making him impossible to ignore on the national stage and putting him in position to shape South Africa for years to come”.
The article also mentioned allegations of nearly 20 political assassinations in Mpumalanga under Mabuza, “some after exposing graft in public works projects”. Many people the NYT spoke to expressed their fear of him and the political climate in general.
Making matters worse for the deputy president, Faith Harvest Bible leader Bishop Max Lazarus Hangwi Maumela recently alleged that Deputy President David Mabuza is a murderer, refusing to take the accusation back after he was threatened legally by the deputy president.
Maumela also claimed that current Mpumalanga premier Refilwe Mtshweni is allegedly Mabuza’s girlfriend, and that’s why she now has the top job, as a proxy for him to allegedly continue to rule the province indirectly.
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