‘He got excited, and I don’t know what excited him’: Snuki Zikalala reacts to Fikile Mbalula’s ‘fire pool’ gaffe
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula. File Picture: Timothy Bernard/Independent Media
President of the African National Congress (ANC) Veterans League Snuki Zikalala on Wednesday said ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula “got excited” when he made his recent utterances on the Nkandla “fire pool” matter.
On Sunday, Mbalula came under fire after he said the ANC had lied to protect then president Jacob Zuma, whose R206 million Nkandla upgrade at taxpayers’ expense raised eyebrows more than 10 years ago.
“We defended former president Zuma, even going to Parliament and saying that a swimming pool is a fire pool … The Constitutional Court, chaired by Mogoeng Mogoeng, issued a judgment against Jacob Zuma, but the ANC stood by him. Zuma now says he can’t stand President Cyril Ramaphosa,” Mbalula said.
Speaking to broadcaster Newzroom Afrika, Zikalala said Mbalula will have to explain his remarks.
“I think the secretary-general will have to answer and so I cannot say much about what he said. As the NEC (national executive committee) of the ANC, we have not discussed much about that matter. I have heard about it, seen the clip, I think it is a matter we will discuss,” said Zikalala.
“I think he got more excited. I don’t know what excited him, and it it is unfortunate it went that way.”
On Tuesday, IOL reported that Minister of Minerals and Energy, Gwede Mantashe has lambasted Mbalula for his utterances on the Nkandla “fire pool”.
