‘If we are dismissed from the ANC, let us be’: Mbalula ready to be chopped for telling the ‘truth’ about Guptas

Transport minister Fikile Mbalula says should he and other members of the ANC be dismissed from the party for “speaking the truth” about the Gupta family, then so be it.

This week the minister has been vocal about several issues, including his political stance and how he felt about former president Jacob Zuma and public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane.

Speaking on Newzoom Afrika on Tuesday, Mbalula said it was hard to defend the ANC leadership as it had been warned about the Gupta family.

According to him, the leadership was warned the Gupta family would cause a “crisis” in the country but it did not pay attention to the warning.

“We’ve been lying to each other back and forth,” said an emotional-sounding Mbalula.

“We warned at some point the Guptas were going to cause a crisis in this country. The leadership did not listen. Today we must defend the same leadership. We can’t.”

Mbalula said he was ready to be dismissed from the ruling party should it come to that.

“Let it be if we are dismissed from the ANC, let us be dismissed for the truth. We did warn everybody that the Gupta thing is going to cause a mess for this country and is going to bring us down,” he said.

In a tweet on Monday, Mbalula called for ANC members to defend the party without fear or favour, saying it has lost credibility among voters.

“It is about time our movement has lost credibility among the voters. Others don’t have an obligation to do so because the ANC must die.”

He also apologised to co-operative governance and traditional affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma over his tweet about her ANC presidential campaign in 2017.

However, an apology was not extended to Mkhwebane, who Mbalula called a “hired gun”.

Mkhwebane has opened a case of crimen injuria regarding the comments.

In his apology letter, he said the tweet about Dlamini-Zuma “appears to have been construed as an attack”.

“It is regretful and unfortunate that my comment may have come across as an attack on the person and integrity of Cde Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as this was never the intention.

“I therefore unreservedly apologise to Cde Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and wish to assure her I will keep her name out of any political battles and commentary,” said Mbalula.