'He doesn't know what he's doing': Malema hits back at 'coward' Nathi Mthethwa
EFF leader Julius Malema has hit back at sports minister Nathi Mthethwa's criticism of the party outside his office in Pretoria.
Mthethwa this week said the EFF’s march to his office was “ill-advised” and “populist theatrics”.
Responding to Mthethwa, Malema told supporters the minister was “a coward who is involved in factional battles of the ANC”.
Malema said Mthethwa was disinterested in issues affecting sports fans.
“Nathi Mthethwa is a lazy b**tard who doesn't know what he is doing. How can you be a minister of sports, arts and culture when you can't even walk at the speed of a rat?”
“A minister of sport must inspire confidence. A minister of sport must look like a sportsperson. He doesn't do sports, he doesn't do arts, and he doesn't do culture; he is only involved in factional politics of the ANC,” said Malema.
He called on Ramaphosa to replace Mthethwa with an “all-rounder who will inspire confidence and understand the dynamics of sports, arts and culture”.
During the address, Malema said the reopening of stadiums was also about reopening the economy.
“We use stadiums to demonstrate how unreasonable these people have become,” he said. “Open the economy. Open the stadiums. Children are no longer going to school because their stomachs are empty.”
He said should stadiums not be opened in the next few days, the EFF will go to the SA Football Association (Safa).
“In a week's time, if they don't open, we will be going to Safa and even find our way to the FNB Stadium and sleep there. And wake up the next day and show them that we are still alive,” said Malema.
Speaking earlier this week, Mthethwa said the EFF's picket was “misguided”.
“The EFF is ill-advised to assume its theatrics will bear any fruit. They are advised to show respect to the basic acumen of South Africans and halt their theatrics,” said Mthethwa
“The choice to picket at the department of sport, arts and culture and direct attention at the minister on a matter based on the Disaster Management Act is quite curious and misguided.”