Johannesburg - EFF leader Julius Malema has jokingly questioned whether former Helen Zille was "lost" after the latter invited him to take part in a discussion on her podcast.
The saga began when the former Western Cape premier asked her 1.4 million Twitter followers who they would like to see featured next on her podcast 'Tea With Helen'. Her question garnered hundreds of replies, with many saying Malema should be her next guest.
A day later, Zille extended an invite the EFF leader for a "no-holds-barred discussion on SA's future prospects" on the podcast.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/Julius_S_Malema?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Julius_S_Malema. I would like to invite you as a guest on my podcast #TeaWithHelen for a no-holds-barred discussion on SA's future prospects. My diary is quite flexible, so you name the date, time and place. I'll serve the tea. Looking forward to your response.
— Helen Zille (@helenzille)
The invite attracted a lot of interest from tweeps, with many questioning why Zille wanted Malema on her podcast and wondering if the CiC would accept the invitation.
Hours later, however, Malema responded to Zille's request, questioning if Zille was "lost" and perhaps looking for Sassa's offices. This in seeming reference to Zille's age and her being a grandmother.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/SASSA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SASSAoffices?
— Julius Sello Malema (@Julius_S_Malema)
The former DA leader hit back at this, again urging Malema to not hide behind a "lame joke" and instead join her in a discussion on a platform not limited to 280 characters and "get beneath the surface slogans".
Are you seriously ducking out of the debate with a lame "joke"? Let's discuss the future of our country on a platform where we can go beyond 280c and get beneath the surface slogans.
— Helen Zille (@helenzille) October 1, 2019
Of course, Malema's response garnered massive reaction from users, with many tweeps labelling him a "chicken" and "scared" for his refusal to engage Zille.
See some of the reactions here:
— robin (@robin40199045) October 1, 2019
He is scared, she’ll take him to the cleaners pic.twitter.com/ZEihNZo2oI
— John Snow ( Alex John Smith ) (@SnowTruthOnly) October 1, 2019
I knew it, he's a chicken, both EFF and ANC fear DA liberals when it comes to debates😂😂😂
— OFENTSE RADIOKANA (@RADIOCEDRIC) October 1, 2019
...you keep threatening to take up arms if necessary but you are scared of an old white woman
— Mzukisi 🇿🇦 (@mndabeni) October 1, 2019
Zille, a Institute for Race Relations senior policy fellow, launched 'Tea With Helen' in August this year and has gone on to to interview prominent newsmakers.
Some of the people who have already appeared in the podcast include journalists Max Du Preez, Peter Bruce and Ferial Haffajee, and most recently, Wits Vice Chancellor Adam Habib.
Zille describes her podcast as a platform to “talk about the present and the future”.
“Tea With Helen is my new foray into political and social debate. I will be talking to journalists, academics, politicians and other shakers and movers about the big ideas and issues of our time, both locally and globally.
“Let’s get out of the Twitter gutter and have some truth-seeking conversations. Join me on Youtube, iTunes and wherever you get your podcasts. Let’s have tea,” says the former mayor of Cape Town.