‘Bored’ MEC’s Facebook gripe

Gauteng MEC for Safety Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane's post on Facebook.

Gauteng MEC for Safety Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane's post on Facebook.

Published Dec 3, 2014

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Johannesburg - Gauteng MEC for Community Safety Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane is finding proceedings in the provincial legislature boring. She has to attend “just to sign the register”.

A fortnight ago, during a legislature sitting, she posted on Facebook: “I’m so bored, I don’t want myself here. Sengihleli (I am just here) just to sign the register. I have better things to do than to listen to this”. The thread indicated she was in the legislature.

Which may explain why the MEC - who earns R1.7 million a year - kicked up some dust moments later, involving herself in an ugly spat with several EFF MPLs.

She took umbrage at a claim from the EFF’s Mandisa Mashego that jobs for the construction of houses and a sewer upgrade were allocated only to ANC members.

The ANC and EFF traded insults from that point on.

Nkosi-Malobane was heard telling EFF members in the House: “Nisijwayel amasimba” - which loosely translated means “You are being overfamiliar with us in a s**tty kind of way”.

The EFF accused her of using unparliamentary remarks.

Nkosi-Malobane’s comments were made after Mashego labelled the ANC the “African National Criminals”.

The debate intensified later, when Mashego turned the heat on Nkosi-Malobane accusing her of being incompetent in her official job.

During the fracas, the MEC was heard saying “Ke mmao! (It’s your mother (who is incompetent).”

 

During the debate, the MEC - while not mentioning the EFF by name - was complaining to her friends that “They like their voices.”

Many of her friends on the social network, including former Joburg ANC councillor Fred Mokoko, expressed sympathy with her frustrations.

He wrote: “Honourable member of the House and of the executive council… Your patience is required by the people of Gauteng…”

Nkosi-Malobane replied: “Sometimes one’s patience is tested and you get tired. We are human beings, remember?”

In another apparent show of sympathy, Mokoko wrote that “indeed they (the EFF) members talk nonsense”.

Former Gauteng roads and transport head Sibusiso Buthelezi also joined in. “Bashaye!!! - (hit them)”, he wrote.

On Facebook, the MEC repeated her denials that she swore at Mashego’s mother in the legislature, but vowed that she would not apologise to her or the EFF.

“They won’t get it,” she said.

Nkosi-Malobane, Gauteng Premier David Makhura and other executive members took an oath of office before Judge Dunstan Mlambo in which they committed themselves to service to the people of Gauteng.

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