Sport Minister Fikile Mbalula has lashed out at "political prostitutes" who seek to discredit his name by linking him tofactions within the ANC.
An angry Mbalula was reacting to a Sunday Independent report that quoted unnamed sources saying he was now warming up to President Jacob Zuma, breaking his allegiance to Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe's camp.
The report referred to an unusual meeting last week between Mbalula and Zuma to cement relations and discuss his future after the ANC's elective congress in Mangaung in December. The sources suggested he wanted to switch camps partly because his campaign had weakened as many structures of the ANC had opted not to nominate him.
Mbalula has for a while been linked to a campaign to oust secretary-general Gwede Mantashe in Mangaung, in terms of the ANCYL's policy of "generational mix".
However, Mbalula told Sowetan he had nothing to fear from ANC processes, irrespective of whether or not the branches nominated him.
He said he had never asked for a position in the ANC and that the reports exposed the "desperation of political thugs and their cohorts who have elected to subject me to political lynching".
"My bona fides speak for themselves, and I therefore need no political favours from political prostitutes who do not have the courage to face me but choose to rubbish me through the press.
"Those who possess uncontrollable ambitions to ascend to leadership by hook or crook or position themselves as king-makers will not hesitate to play dirty tricks."
He did not reveal the details of his meeting with Zuma, except to say he was not apologetic about his engagements as he was matured enough to engage with anyone on any subject.
He also distanced himself from being part of any faction. He said he was schooled in the ANC tradition of collective leadership and that the branches will elect leadership of their choice in Mangaung.
Mbalula had strong words for Zuma campaigners Zizi Kodwa and businessman Sello Rasethaba, who were quoted as saying Mbalula was amenable to their proposals to ditch his ambitions to replace Mantashe.
"... I neither need spokespersons nor self-styled messiahs in the form of Zizi Kodwa or Sello Rasethaba to speak on my behalf ..."
Kodwa had been quoted as saying: "We are trying to make him understand this was about national building ... he can't be part of a coalition that can't be defined politically. There has to be a generational mix, but the generation of 1942 can't be forced out."
In a statement, Mbalula implied that he still believed in change of ANC leadership. He said those who feared change were "blinded by dogmatism and require political inertia to guarantee their comfort zones".
Mbalula hits out at 'political prostitutes'
Sport Minister Fikile Mbalula has lashed out at "political prostitutes" who seek to discredit his name by linking him tofactions within the ANC.
An angry Mbalula was reacting to a Sunday Independent report that quoted unnamed sources saying he was now warming up to President Jacob Zuma, breaking his allegiance to Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe's camp.
The report referred to an unusual meeting last week between Mbalula and Zuma to cement relations and discuss his future after the ANC's elective congress in Mangaung in December. The sources suggested he wanted to switch camps partly because his campaign had weakened as many structures of the ANC had opted not to nominate him.
Mbalula has for a while been linked to a campaign to oust secretary-general Gwede Mantashe in Mangaung, in terms of the ANCYL's policy of "generational mix".
However, Mbalula told Sowetan he had nothing to fear from ANC processes, irrespective of whether or not the branches nominated him.
He said he had never asked for a position in the ANC and that the reports exposed the "desperation of political thugs and their cohorts who have elected to subject me to political lynching".
"My bona fides speak for themselves, and I therefore need no political favours from political prostitutes who do not have the courage to face me but choose to rubbish me through the press.
"Those who possess uncontrollable ambitions to ascend to leadership by hook or crook or position themselves as king-makers will not hesitate to play dirty tricks."
He did not reveal the details of his meeting with Zuma, except to say he was not apologetic about his engagements as he was matured enough to engage with anyone on any subject.
He also distanced himself from being part of any faction. He said he was schooled in the ANC tradition of collective leadership and that the branches will elect leadership of their choice in Mangaung.
Mbalula had strong words for Zuma campaigners Zizi Kodwa and businessman Sello Rasethaba, who were quoted as saying Mbalula was amenable to their proposals to ditch his ambitions to replace Mantashe.
"... I neither need spokespersons nor self-styled messiahs in the form of Zizi Kodwa or Sello Rasethaba to speak on my behalf ..."
Kodwa had been quoted as saying: "We are trying to make him understand this was about national building ... he can't be part of a coalition that can't be defined politically. There has to be a generational mix, but the generation of 1942 can't be forced out."
In a statement, Mbalula implied that he still believed in change of ANC leadership. He said those who feared change were "blinded by dogmatism and require political inertia to guarantee their comfort zones".
This article was first published in the printed newspaper and eEdition on 15 October 2012. Click on this link to view the eEdition
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