Cabinet minister revelry as Mbalula gets Blade Nzimande to join Twitter

Higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande roped in two university vice-chancellors to post his first tweet – on the encouragement of outspoken Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula.

Nzimande (57) credited Mbalula for making him turn the corner‚ commenting: “Mbaks you’ll get me here‚ uzoyithola kanjani uma ungekho kwi Twitter @MBalulaFikile”.

Mbalula replied: “Welcome — soze wayithola outside here. This is a platform to connect with our people”.

He also alerted his sizeable Twitter following of 413‚000 followers‚ tweeting: “CONFIRMED the Twittter Account of Higher Education and Training Minister is 100% authentic — Follow him on @DrBladeNzimande Not Parody”.

There are at least three other‚ defunct‚ accounts in Nzimande’s name on Twitter.

The new one uses his real name — Bonginkosi Nzimande – as well as his better known nickname of Blade.

The politician‚ who has been Minister for Higher Education and Training since 2009‚ posted his first official tweet with a photo of himself holding a smartphone flanked by Adam Habib‚ Vice Chancellor of the University of the Witwatersrand‚ and Ihron Rensburg‚ Vice Chancellor and Principal of the University of Johannesburg.

Nzimande was meeting university vice-chancellors in Johannesburg on Wednesday to discuss the student funding crisis following the #FeesMustFall protests.

Nzimande’s tag line is: “Philosophers have interpreted the world in various ways‚ the point however is to change it — Marx and Engels #BeTheChange #Education #AWEHness”.

Within the first three hours‚ the Bonginkosi Nzimande @DrBladeNzimande account had over 1‚000 followers.