Funding and face mask fails: Inside Maimane & Mbalula’s spicy Twitter exchange

One SA Movement leader Mmusi Maimane and transport minister Fikile Mbalula warmed the TL on Tuesday when Mbalula questioned who was funding Maimane’s movement.

The spicy war of words started after Maimane announced his movement will participate in this year’s local government elections.

According to Maimane, instead of contesting the elections as a collective, the movement will recruit independent candidates.

Soon after Maimane announced the move, a Twitter user asked him who was funding the movement.

Mbalula echoed the sentiment, calling it a “good question”.

Maimane hit back, telling Mbalula to instead ask questions of the ANC.

“The ANC is funded through the proceeds of tenderpreneurs and looted funds. People are still waiting for you to respond to my last tweet. Is this an inter-party tag team?” he asked.

Maimane said the movement was funded by “hardworking South Africans”. 

“They are funding the movement. The movement is fully compliant with all regulations. I am sensing a lot of panic and attempts to find something to complain about,” he told Mbalula.

Maimane encouraged those who were “genuinely” interested to know who was funding the party to visit its website, while also throwing shade at those in leadership who preach about the importance of face masks but did not wear them properly themselves.

“Our movement is able to maintain its website. Unlike other baobab movements whose leaders struggle to even wear masks,” he said.

Many saw the jab as a reference to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s mask mishap last year and other pictures that have gone viral of ANC leaders seemingly wearing their masks incorrectly.

Maimane also responded to Mbalula’s claim that his resignation from the DA in 2019 was “fake”, telling him to “focus on getting your leadership to wear face masks and wear them properly”. 

“Focus on recovering stolen Covid-19 funds. Focus on actually educating our youth. Focus on hiring competent people to the civil service, not cadres. The ANC as a collective is the weakest link and the bravado you display is a mismatch to your abilities,” Maimane said.