What’s with Fikile Mbalula calling people ‘suicide bombers’?

South Africa’s former minister of police and sports and recreation turned ANC head of elections seems to have developed a penchant for labelling ANC defectors suicide bombers.

via GIPHY

While his followers find this hilarious, one can only wonder why Mbalula opted to try and make ‘fetch’ happen with this specific imagery.

" They are suicide bombers. A suicide bomber is someone who dies for … WTF @MbalulaFikile. SA or Party. This ANC is castrating people.

— Tsala Tshohle (@TsalaTshohle) July 2, 2017

A simple internet search shows that “suicide bomber” has been his go-to label for ANC defectors for years but it is hard to pinpoint exactly when this began.

It did, however, cause a furore when he used the term on Dr. Makhosi Khoza after her highly publicised exit from the ruling party in 2017.

I somehow don't think ANC MPs, many of whom spent years on Robben Island, would take too kindly to a comment like this. https://t.co/pFSQiFNyPM

— Derek Hanekom (@Derek_Hanekom) July 2, 2017

Though he initially used the term as a blanket term in reference to MPs who chose to vote against then-president Jacob Zuma in one of the many motions of no-confidence brought against him, Dr. Khoza later shared her view that she thought he was referring specifically to her.

“I’m shocked that the honourable Mbalula should say something like this. It is highly irresponsible. My views on president Zuma are well known. I believe the president should step down. But that doesn’t make me a suicide bomber,” said Khoza to the Cape Times.

He later went on record to clarify that he preferred the term as a way of referring to ANC members of parliament who would die for an ideology whether it was right or wrong.

“So members of the ANC have no right to represent their jackets in parliament. They represent the organisation. They are suicide bombers. A suicide bomber dies for an ideology whether it is wrong or right. He dies for it or she dies for it‚” said Mbaula while addressing journalists at the ANC’s policy conference in July 2017.

@gwalax so @MbalulaFikile anyone who upholds SA constitution is a suicide bomber

— MakeWillie (@wills071) July 3, 2017

He later revived the term when he used it on Mzwanele Manyi who had gone on an anti-ANC tirade ever since joining the African Transformation Movement (ATM) in January.

https://twitter.com/MbalulaFikile/status/1087231426137899008

He has since added another former ANC MP to the list by reacting to Erin Bates’ state capture update on Dennis Bloem’s testimony by calling Bloem a suicide bomber as well.

https://twitter.com/MbalulaFikile/status/1091256009912451072

Upon closer inspection, Mbalula is wrong based on his own definition.

According to him, “a suicide bomber dies for an ideology whether it is wrong or right. He dies for it or she dies for it”, and by that token, the only suicide bomber in the equation is him as he has stood by the ANC through thick and thin.

All the aforementioned former ANC members lived by the maxim: “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”

Perhaps Mbalula needs to revisit the application of his favourite term before bandying it around any further.

READ NEXT: Mbalula believes Manyi ‘decided to be a suicide bomber’

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