South Africa

Like a gift from the blogging gods is this weeks Suntimes Q&A with Jay-Z shill, general incompetent, SA's No.1 Blowhard,  oldest "youth" at 35 ANC Youth League head Fikile Mbalula. The picture itself is a classic - Mbalula looks like a deer caught in the headlights - which is a perfect metaphor for the interview as Chris Barron smacks him all over the room concerning the ANCYL's corrupt relationship with Brett Kebble. (this has to be one of the best Q&A's I've read in the Suntimes). Here are the highlights for me :

Are you alarmed at the stuff coming out about Brett Kebble’s fraudulent activities?

It is a bit alarming and actually shocking. Kebble portrayed himself as a man of integrity and one would not have thought that he would have stooped so low in terms of things that have been reported. Missing shares and all of that.

 

It must be particularly shocking because the ANCYL received so much money from him that seems to have been stolen.

Yes, well, I mean you accept any donation from anybody. You wouldn’t know that that donor would have actually done something irregular.

 

Didn’t you wonder where the money was coming from for all the empowerment companies he set up?

We didn’t wonder about that simply because, let me put it this way, Kebble was good to us in many ways. (he used you, you idiots!)

 

Doubts were raised in the media. Did this never make you wonder? (yeah and that was ages ago)

The media can’t judge anybody. Kebble was never found guilty by any court of law. (someamongus shakes his head at the feinged naivete)

 

Do you think now that he was just buying the support of the ANCYL, rather than promoting BEE?

I cannot conclusively say that. Kebble did not only pay for the Youth League, he paid for a lot of people. We viewed him as a servant (I'm sorry what?), one person who was trying to elevate the youth and bring them into the picture.

 

Didn’t it occur to you that you were very useful to him?

In which context?

 

For example, the support you gave him against the public prosecutor.

We never gave him support against the public prosecutor.

 

The ANCYL came out very publicly and loudly in support of him.

There’s never been a statement by the Youth League in support of Kebble.

 

You called him a “patriot” and an “ardent supporter of democracy”.

 

That is the statement of the Youth League post Kebble’s death. There has never been a statement of support for Kebble in relation to his being prosecuted by the public prosecutor. That statement about him being a patriot was a statement on him passing away.

 

I seem to remember that when he gave R500000 to the ANC in the Western Cape the ANCYL praised him for being a “patriot” and “ardent supporter of democracy”. (woops time to change the subject quick)

Brett was basically a very good person. He has given money to many people, including to the ANC [in the] Western Cape. But there was never any support from the Youth League when he was being prosecuted by the public prosecutor. That’s a fabrication.

 

When the prosecutor brought these serious charges against him, didn’t it cause the ANCYL to question his credentials?

Simply prosecuting a person does not mean that person was actually guilty. For the record, the prosecution never found Kebble guilty.

 

My impression is that the ANCYL turned a blind eye because it was doing so well out of him.

He happened to be very philanthropic in terms of, when we went around asking for money as an organisation, he was ready to donate. For that we’ll never judge him. We’re an organisation that is not profit-making and we never ask anybody where they get their money from.

 

The organisation might not be profit-making but certain members made a lot of money for themselves.

That is pure speculation.

 

How did (ANCYL member) Lunga Ncwana get his Porsche?

How individuals happened to conduct themselves in relation to their relationship with Kebble is a matter that they themselves, being members of the National Executive Committee, have got to give a full account of.

Love it! Chris Barron has just been inducted into the someamongus hall of fame!