In just 24 hours after being appointed as the secretary general of Build A Better South Africa (Babsa), a political party formed by the former world boxing champion Lovermore “Black Panther” Ndou, Musa Mbewe had resigned.
Mbewe, a former ActionSA Gauteng Women’s Forum provincial chairperson, had dropped Babsa like a hot potato after she said that Ndou and the party’s deputy president, Tsepo Mhlongo, who was axed by the DA as a long serving member of parliament, had allegedly wanted her to be a “yes man” leader within the organisation.
Accused Babsa leaders of political cluelessness
Mbewe spilled the beans to the Sunday World on Tuesday and said both Ndou and Mhlongo were “clueless”. She said they were clueless on what they wanted to take Babsa when it comes to politics in the country.
“First of all, I had never signed as a member of Babsa. And Mhlongo is lying when he said that I had signed a membership in Bloemfontein. Mhlongo and Babsa had accompanied me to Bloemfontein to meet students, who I help with education challenges. He is lying that I have signed a membership form to be with Babsa. He must show you that to dispel his lies,” said Mbewe.
She also said that she was included in the WhatsApp group that comprises Ndou and Mhlongo. And she pointed out that the social media messenger group was for the leaders.
Use of AI-generated content for communication
“It was only three of us in that group. And we discussed about the roles that we will be playing with Babsa as president, deputy president and the secretary general. Mhlongo posted an AI-generated information detailing the roles of the secretary general. And he told me that I should take the cue from that.
“I told him and Ndou that this information was generated from AI. And Ndou took offence and demanded that I apologise for saying such, but I refused to back down. These people do not know what they are doing. And I was not going to subject myself to such mediocrity,” she said.
She said that she took a decision not to be in the political party that is saying, according to her, that it was against the expropriation of land without compensation. And it said that it wanted the black economic empowerment (BEE) to be scrapped.
Anti-BEE, land expropriation
“This party’s policies are completely going against my vision as an activist. These people are saying that if the expropriation of land without compensation coms to the fore, the country will be like Zimbabwe. They said that only white people are the best to work the land,” she said.
“What is worse is that they say they don’t like BEE, and my view is that BEE is the best tool to empower black people. I am a black person who advocates for justice for our people. But if Babsa has its own way to deal with such issues, I am not going to be part of such.”
She said that after she had disagreed with the direction Babsa was taking, she hung up the call on WhatsApp. Ndou and Mhlongo were part of the same call.
“I told those guys that I am not going to allow them to …use their male dominance to suppress my views. And I am against patriarchy and as an activist, I am not going to allow men to use their power to control my views. After I had hung up the call, I was removed from the WhatsApp group immediately,” said Mbewe.
No comment for leaders yet
When asked to comment about the resignation of Mbewe, including AI-generated content he used to fool her, Mhlongo refused to say anything.
“Contact the president of Babsa regarding your questions. I am not going to comment to those things,” said Mhlongo.
Ndou, who is based in Australia, said he will respond to our questions later in the day.
His response will be include once received.
Meanwhile, there was drama when Babsa announced that Mbewe was its new secretary general earlier this month. Members of the party had questioned how she was appointed to the powerful position.
Sunday World published the story on April 10 about Mbewe’s appointment. However, her ascendancy to the high position was met with strong disapproval from party members. They demanded to know how she got to be appointed as secretary general.
I know Musa doesn’t take nonsense, she is an iron that one.
Musa is a true imbhokodo you go girl👌