Carl Niehaus drags Mbalula to

MKMVA spokesperson Carl Niehaus and ANC secretary general Ace Magashule
Image via Twitter @Niehaus_Carl

Carl Niehaus drags Mbalula to court for ‘thug’ comments

Transport minister Fikile Mbalula went on a twitter rant, targeting several members of the MKMVA and even former president Jacob Zuma

Carl Niehaus drags Mbalula to

MKMVA spokesperson Carl Niehaus and ANC secretary general Ace Magashule
Image via Twitter @Niehaus_Carl

The ‘feud’ between Mkhonto Wesizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) spokesperson Carl Niehaus and Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula just got a tad bloodier. Niehaus claims to have engaged a lawyer and intends filing a defamation lawsuit against Mbalula.

“Minister (Mbalula’s) appalling conduct cannot go unchallenged. Just concluded a consultation with my attorney. My attorney will now file an urgent application of defamation with the High Court against Minister (Mbalula),” he announced on Twitter.

But it seems Mbalula, a member of the African National Congress’ (ANC) National Executive Committee (NEC), will not be losing any sleep over the ‘pending’ legal action.

“President is talking shutUp!,” he responded.

While many may not be privy to the actual genesis of the pair’s standoff, Mbalula’s string of fiery tweets targeting Niehaus and some of his comrades seems to have exacerbated the tensions.

Mbalula vs the MKMVA

The minister started by calling out Niehaus on Monday, 12 October 2020, labelling him as a thug who was deployed to the ANC’s headquarters by the party’s equally controversial secretary general, Ace Magashule.

As if that wasn’t enough, he then took aim at Niehaus’ fellow MKMVA comrade, Kebby Maphatsoe.

“Kebby maphatsoe ran away from the camps that is why he’s got one hand,He lost his hand from cowardice not in a fight against apartheid. COWARD,” Mbalula tweeted.

“I (know) everything and anything about (these) thugs ,They’ve been chasing me all along my wife my family everything and I’ve been quiet quite quiet quiet….,” he further said.

The tweets have since been deleted.

Mbalula’s twitter rant came after members of the MKMVA in Gauteng staged a protest outside Premier David Makhura’s office. They accused the minister of being partly responsible for the collapse of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa).

Magashule responded to Mbalula’s jabs when addressing MKMVA members in Durban.

“You are important, MK is important. Those who have not fought for freedom, those who don’t know MK and the contribution of Umkhonto we Sizwe in our struggle, will always undermine MK,” he said.

While many have viewed the spat as yet another hint of factionalism within the ANC, the MKMVA insists its issues with the minister are not political.