Cape Town – ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula has reportedly vowed to address former tourism minister Derek Hanekom after Hanekom criticised his statement about Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan’s performance.
Mbalula had warned that Gordhan would be moved if he couldn’t do his job.
“Now I will say to Pravin Gordhan; I was with him there. I was also a minister of transport: ‘Comrade Pravin, move faster, or otherwise, we will move you.’
“We need all the trucks off the road because people are dying because of these trucks. Trucks must get off the road, and goods be transported by rail. Let’s not act like we are not in government. We are in charge,” Mbalula said while addressing the ANC Women’s League conference over the weekend.
According to The Citizen, Hanekom questioned Mbalula’s own past performance as a minister.
“When you make a statement like this, you need to explain why you are not making a statement on a number of poor performing ministers.
“Are you satisfied with your own performance when you were a minister?” asked Hanekom.
But on Monday, On Monday, Mbalula used his address at the Local Government Intervention Workshop in Benoni to hit back at Hanekom.
The secretary-general said he would “attend to” Hanekom, who supposedly behaves like a “freelancer” who comments on everything, the report said.
Mbalula also clarified that his remarks about Gordhan were not meant as an attack on the minister, SABC reported.
He further explained that Gordhan sought support from the president regarding the matter, the report said.
Mbalula reaffirmed that his statements were not intended to be a call for Gordhan’s removal during his address at the ANC Local Government Intervention Workshop.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
