Picture of Julius Malema and Fikile Mbalula Hugging and Laughing Goes Viral

• Economic Freedom Fighter president Julius Malema stirred the internet up when he posed with the African National Congress's Fikile Mbalula
• The two politicians are known to blast each other on social media, and Mbalula has at one stage accused Malema of being the MK Party's president Jacob Zuma's puppeteer
• South Africans commenting on the picture hotly discussed the picture, with some calling for Malema to return to the ANC

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, has covered policy changes, cabinet reshuffles, the State of the Nation Address, Parliament and Parliamentary committees, politician-related news, and elections at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News for over seven years.

JOHANNESBURG — The President of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Julius Malema and the African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general Fikile Mbalula caused a debate when they shared a moment of laughter.

Malema and Mbalula smile

Malema posted an image of himself and Mbalula posing for a picture on his @Julius_S_Malema X account. In the picture, Malema and Mbalula share a warm embrace and are having a light moment. He shared a tongue-in-cheek caption:

"Just for control."

View the X picture here:

Mbalula and Malema have in the past taken shots at each other in public. Mbalula has accused Malema of running a cult and recently accused him of being the puppet master of MK Party president Jacob Zuma. The two were known to be friends when Malema was still a member of the ANC as the Youth League president.

What you need to know about Mbalula and Malema

• Mbalula shaded Malema in 2023 and called him the biggest puppet in the country, whose goal is to destroy the ANC's majority rule
• Malema called Mbalula and other ANC leaders his boys in 2024 and said that they cannot bully him, including Malema
• Malema laughingly supported a tweet Mbalula posted in which he criticised Zuma for claiming that the 2024 general elections were rigged
• Mbalula said that Malema and the former secretary-general of the MK Party, Floyd Shivambu, were controlling Zuma
• The ANC's secretary-general also said that Malema was dangerous and that a partnership with the Democratic Alliance in the GNU was better than a partnership with the EFF

South Africans joke

Netizens commenting on the picture shared jokes about the pair.

Cassiday Rangata said:

"Look at how happy you guys are. Leave this EFF thing and go back to the ANC."

ZizinjaAbelungu said:

"In 2024 I said only the two of you can save this country moving forward. That I wish one day yo can sit down and iron out your political differences."

Mullar said:

"The leadership to keep young South Africans hopeful and manage their anger on behalf of WMC. We see you."

Umtshabalalisi said:

"Two sides. One coin. Insert coin to play the voter."

Gumgedle asked:

"Can we see the same with Floyd?"

What you need to know about Fikile Mbalula

Fikile Mbalula is a South African politician currently serving as the Secretary-General of the African National Congress (ANC), a position he has held since December 2022. He was a cabinet minister from 2010 to 2023, most recently serving as Minister of Transport from 2019 to 2023.

Mbalula served as President of the ANC Youth League, a role he held from 2004 to 2008. During this time, he emerged as a vocal supporter of Jacob Zuma, particularly at the ANC’s 2007 national conference in Polokwane. There, he was elected to the ANC’s National Executive Committee and appointed head of elections and organisation. He continued to play a leading role in the ANC’s electoral efforts in subsequent years.

Fikile Mbalula salutes delegation to the United States

In a related article, Briefly News reported that Mbalula praised the delegation of officials who joined President Cyril Ramaphosa in the United States. He said Ramaphosa was elevating South Africa's voice on the world stage.

Mbalula spoke after Ramaphosa and his delegation, which included ministers and business people, had a bilateral meeting with United States President Donald Trump. South Africans were not convinced.

Source: Briefly News