When Julius Malema was a young lion and ANC Youth League president, he was prone to making controversial statements. (What’s changed?)
Back in 2010, when Malema said DA leader Helen Zille was “a cockroach and must be voted out of power†perhaps Malema hadn’t realised that one day this insult would come back to bite him.
Over the weekend at a provincial ANC conference, Speaker Baleka Mbete called Malema an “irritant†and “cockroach†and the EFF “thugs†and “pawnsâ€.
The comments made by Mbete did not sit well with South Africans – at least not those on Twitter.
#SONAChaos #BalekaMbete referring to @Julius_S_Malema as a “cockroach” sounds like #Rwanda genocide. #Speaker of Parliament is a disgrace.
— Walter (@Walthog) February 15, 2015
However, yesterday the speaker of Parliament apologised unconditionally and all was forgiven.
The incident prompted DA leader Helen Zille to remember that she was once called a cockroach too – by none other than Malema himself. Zille voiced a wish to receive an apology of her own. Naturally the request was made via her favourite medium, Twitter.
Now that the Speaker has properly apologised to @Julius_S_Malema for calling him a cockroach, I trust he will apologise to me for same.
— Helen Zille (@helenzille) February 18, 2015
In the spirit of forgiving and being forgiven, Juju wasted no time.
@helenzille I’m very sorry Madam…
— Julius Sello Malema (@Julius_S_Malema) February 18, 2015
But the apology was flawed.Â
@Julius_S_Malema Lol, and thanks. But it is almost worse to call me that apartheid name Madam. ;-))
— Helen Zille (@helenzille) February 18, 2015
And then tweeps caught on to the exchange. Cute don’t you think?
“@LeratoMolele: @helenzille @Julius_S_Malema get a room.†*cant watch*
— Mr. P (@Percyoung) February 18, 2015
Some people had grander ideas about what Malema and Zille could do if they keep playing nicely together.
@helenzille @jonthekaizer @Julius_S_Malema That’s it, play nice. Together you can remove the Pirates and we can get this ship sailing again.
— Craig Heffer (@the85man) February 18, 2015
Meanwhile, we wonder what the cockroaches make of all this?
Illustration: By Nathi Ngubane.
