Police Minister, Fikila Mbalula took to Twitter last night to dismiss claims made by Eye Witness News (EWN) senior reporter Barry Bateman, that a South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) sporting good supplier, Sedgars, paid possibly as much as R680 000 for a trip to Dubai by Minister Fikile Mbalula last year.
I went to 702 to answer and speak on policing. I was to be asked Ministerial issues but the interview was hijacked.
— RSA Police Minister (@MbalulaFikile) October 9, 2017
I’m accused of unsubstantiated unethical conduct by @barrybateman, the investigator of such conduct & is demanding answers after the “grabâ€
— RSA Police Minister (@MbalulaFikile) October 9, 2017
Despite Mbalula disputing these claims, Twitter went in on him with lit memes and questions.
#MbalulaDubai black twitter arriving at scene to find out what’s the trend all about. pic.twitter.com/bxGLkf0GqF
— IG: @Mahafha Noel (@MahafhaNoel4) October 9, 2017
If a company spends cash for an elected Cabinet Minister and his family to go on luxury holiday, the question is WHY? Period. #MbalulaDubai
— Simon Grindrod (@SimonPGrindrod) October 9, 2017
Squeeze Sedgars’ balls till they tell the truth. Make them drink their own urine if necessary. #mbaluladubai https://t.co/QEvFB5U209
— Chris Vick (@chrisvick3) October 9, 2017
Twitter started speculating that the money that was meant for making sporting attires for the South African athletes was used to pay for Mbalula’s trip.
Guess that answers where the attire money went to pic.twitter.com/keXM4B3khS
— Tumi Sole (@tumisole) October 9, 2017
The legacy of the clown minister. #MbalulaDubai pic.twitter.com/HQIN541EEJ
— Jacques Maree (@JacquesMaree73) October 10, 2017
This morning, Mbalula took to Twitter again to “fix†a cartoon by Zapiro accusing him of using taxpayers money for the trip.
Zapiro’s cartoon @dailymaverick (10 October 2017) @MbalulaFikile response to a recent cartoon and #MbalulaDubai – https://t.co/zRH9M6ELvW pic.twitter.com/yWUkMsrEci
— Zapiro (@zapiro) October 10, 2017
Goodmorning tweeps, we had to FIX another cartoon for @zapiro. Our Fixing yesterday got him angry.
Retweet this one and make him more pic.twitter.com/ewX1bNa4tr
— RSA Police Minister (@MbalulaFikile) October 10, 2017
But Twitter was still not having it.
@MbalulaFikile now you’re a cartoonist?did you chow the tracksuit money mfondini? pic.twitter.com/odCV9AdN8d
— MajakathataRogue (@Majakathata2cp) October 10, 2017
You are corrupt bhuti ayizojika into yoba uye eDubai ngemali yeGuptas. Was wondering why uthule kangaka ngendaba yeGuptas kanti uyatya
— RIRP my littlesister (@veronica_mente) October 10, 2017
No No No Mbaks, tell us who paid for trip to Dubai or you waiting for Atul to write a statement on your behalf ? You cant fool us all
— Medic (@FMohokare) October 10, 2017
I told you to lay low, Fikile. We can’t explain this one away
— PresidentGupta (@GuptaPresident) October 10, 2017
Mbalula went on to call these accusations a “smear campaign†and said that he paid for his own trip.