Dlamini calls Gordhan an imbecile and rumour-monger

ANC Women’s League president Bathabile Dlamini. Picture: Phando Jikelo/African News Agency(ANA)

ANC Women’s League president Bathabile Dlamini. Picture: Phando Jikelo/African News Agency(ANA)

Published Dec 1, 2020

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Durban - ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) president and former Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini has come down hard on Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan, calling him a rumour monger.

In a tweet on Tuesday afternoon, Dlamini, who was in conflict with Gordhan while they were serving under the Zuma administration, also said the minister was an “imbecile”.

This followed Monday’s admission by Gordhan to the state capture commission, during cross examination by Advocate Dali Mpofu on behalf of former SARS commissioner Tom Moyane, that he did not have evidence to back claims of state capture against some of the people he has accused.

Dlamini tweeted in response to a Twitter user who took a screenshot of Gordhan from Newzroom Afrika and asked people to use one word to describe him. Dlamini jumped onto the bandwagon and tweeted: “How can the whole country with so mature and struggle veterans, revolutionaries be plunged into the mud by such an imbecile a rumor mongerer (sic). The cabal is exposed again and he has weaponised all justice and security apparatus to erase the history of South Africa.”

Hours earlier, she tweeted that former ANC president Oliver Tambo, who led the party while it operated in exile, warned members about Gordhan’s conduct.

This was in response to a Twitter user who said while he felt Gordhan was “arrogant”, he would never support Moyane even if he had taken a spiked drink. Another Twitter user countered that by saying “Your problem is you support people. Support facts.”

Dlamini sided with the user who said people should support facts and then made references to Gordhan.

“Our problem is we transport hatred in our hearts and hate other people based on how the media portrays them. I am saddened by a man that has destroyed the country through rumours. I am (sure) half of (the) population has seen through him. President OR (Tambo) saw this man long ago,” she tweeted.

Gordhan and his department are yet to respond to questions sent to them by Independent Media regarding Dlamini’s tweets.

Meanwhile, the EFF, which has clashed with Gordhan during the past few years, demanded President Cyril Ramaphosa fire him. The party also said it would ask parliament’s ethics committee to take him to task.

“His actions represent a breach of our democracy, by a thug who manipulates the resources of the state to serve his personal interests. Furthermore, the EFF will be reporting Gordhan to the parliamentary ethics committee for lying to parliament about meeting with the Guptas, essentially breaching his oath of office. Gordhan’s continued presence in the executive of the country represents a rot in the highest offices of the land that must be removed.

Political Bureau

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