Fikile Mbalula congratulates Robert Marawa on new sports channel, pledges to advertise
The sportscaster will 'transport sport to a better place' and Mbalula will 'advertise'
Transport minister Fikile Mbalula has joined the chorus of congratulations for Robert Marawa on the launch of the sports personality's online sports channel, promising advertising from the department.
Marawa took to social media on Thursday to announce the launch of Marawa.tv, which will air on YouTube. The announcement came just more than a month after he was fired from his popular Thursday Night Live with Marawa show on SuperSport.
Mbalula took to Twitter on Friday to congratulate Marawa and offer him support.
“Do your thing, Robert. You have what it takes. (The) transport dept will advertise there," he wrote.
👊👊👊💥👌👌👌Do your thing @robertmarawa you have what it takes transport dept will advertise there. https://t.co/0sQ4lOI8lE
— Minister of Transport |Mr Fix (@MbalulaFikile) July 5, 2019
Mbalula's comment drew mixed reactions, with some applauding him for supporting Marawa and others claiming he had no say over where advertising went.
Mbalula defended himself, saying he saw nothing wrong with his tweet.
Nothing wrong to support black talent if @robertmarawa is having a tv channel there's nothing wrong to ask our dept as they spread their ads they must also add this channel .Rise up ! Dont vulgarise !
— Minister of Transport |Mr Fix (@MbalulaFikile) July 5, 2019
Marawa thanked the minister for his support and said the pair would help "transport sport to a better place safely".
Thank u Minister!!! Great to hear that u will also place ur advertising here!! I appreciate ur support......let's transport sport to a better place safely....!!🙏🏽✊🏾
— robertmarawa (@robertmarawa) July 5, 2019
Mbalula and Marawa clashed on Twitter in February, when the transport minister accused the sportscaster of supporting the EFF, after he posted a short video from the Soweto soccer derby showing a helicopter flying the party's flag.
Marawa found the stunt entertaining, but Mbalula did not, and what followed was an exchange in which EFF leader Julius Malema also got involved.
In 2017, things got so heated between the two that even recording artist Oskido intervened, effectively forcing them to shake hands and put their differences behind them.
Most recently, the pair seemed to bury the hatchet in a social media video of them bantering.