ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has lashed out at his predecessor Ace Magashule for failing to rein in his unruly Free State supporters, who have been burning party T-shirts in protest of his expulsion.
So angry is Mbalula that he has cancelled his meeting with Magashule, endorsed by ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa, that was meant to take place on Tuesday evening.
Mbalula told supporters at the Free State leg of the Letsema campaign that Magashule has failed to use media platforms, including his Newzroom Afrika interview on Monday evening, to call his supporters to order.
Ahead of Mbalula’s visit to the Free State, Magashule’s supporters went as far as preparing a coffin bearing Mbalula’s name on it as a symbol of their unhappiness and to signify his and the ANC's burial.
'Myself and the ANC owe him fokol' – Mbalula lashes out at Magashule
Image: Thapelo Morebudi
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has lashed out at his predecessor Ace Magashule for failing to rein in his unruly Free State supporters, who have been burning party T-shirts in protest of his expulsion.
So angry is Mbalula that he has cancelled his meeting with Magashule, endorsed by ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa, that was meant to take place on Tuesday evening.
Mbalula told supporters at the Free State leg of the Letsema campaign that Magashule has failed to use media platforms, including his Newzroom Afrika interview on Monday evening, to call his supporters to order.
Ahead of Mbalula’s visit to the Free State, Magashule’s supporters went as far as preparing a coffin bearing Mbalula’s name on it as a symbol of their unhappiness and to signify his and the ANC's burial.
LISTEN | 'I was expelled long ago': Ace Magashule on expulsion from ANC, political future
Mbalula told the ANC supporters he had considered meeting with Magashule after he called him earlier in the week.
Mbalula said he has since changed his mind after witnessing what his supporters were doing and his failure to call them to order.
“So now I want to tell him, because he wanted to meet, Samkele [Maseka, SABC reporter], please pass on this message that he would never see not even my body. He will meet with those that he wants to meet with. I’m not going there,” said Mbalula to loud applause.
“I was with President Ramaphosa yesterday and he said to me ‘SG go and meet him’ but I don’t owe this man [Magashule] anything and even the ANC doesn’t owe him fokol. So he must forget about me, I won’t meet him. He must go do whatever he wants to do there. He is free.”
'The ball is in his court' — Mbalula on Magashule's expulsion
Magashule is rumoured to be planning to establish his own political formation after being expelled from the ANC earlier this month.
TimesLIVE understands that he has met with some of the former ANC leaders including Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma. He was also said to have met with Kgalema Motlanthe.
He was, according to those around him, meeting the former ANC leaders to get guidance on his next political move.
It was not immediately clear how those meetings unfolded.
His supporters, especially in the Free State, have shown unhappiness with his expulsion and have threatened that the move to expel him was likely to kill the ANC.
'Malema is my comrade' — Magashule sings EFF leader's praises
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