An exchange of vitriol on Twitter between Mzwanele Manyi and DA MP Phumzile van Damme has sparked a number of responses from bemused social media users.
It first started when Manyi posted a tweet on Thursday morning bemoaning the weak rand, the petrol price and the fact that South Africa is "now in recession". In the same post, Manyi also claimed that "some in leadership are compromised".
On Thursday night, Van Damme responded to the tweet, telling Manyi to "spare us the moral indignation". She also told him he was "part of the crew that brought us here".
Oh spare us the moral indignation. You were part of the crew that brought us here. Damascus moment se voet. https://t.co/YFwtDQcPFY
— Phumzile Van Damme (@zilevandamme) September 6, 2018
Manyi fired back with another bulleted list tweet, placing the blame on those who "said #ZumaMustFall", those who "wanted a market approved Finance Minister" and those who "said away with the Guptas".
* U said #ZumaMustFall
— Mzwanele Manyi (@MzwaneleManyi) September 7, 2018
* U said u wanted a market approved Finance Minister.
* U said away with the Guptas
* U said Brian, Koko & Myeni etc must go
* U wanted State Capture Inquiry
* The list goes On & On.
SA gave you EVERYTHING.
Now we have a mess and you dont want to own it,??? https://t.co/jT3owb9JPZ
It's unclear from Manyi's post whether he is directly addressing Van Damme and blaming her, the DA, or referring to anyone calling for the same.
He finished off by asking: "Now we have a mess and you don’t want to own it?"
Needless to say, it stirred up a mixture of anger and amusement in responses by other Twitter users.
Has @Our_DA @zilevandamme said anything about the recession; half the cabinet going to China; rand doing bad; ANC GP leadership failing citizens; death of 11 people in two days; high crime; people losing their jobs? When are they marching?
— Sphithiphithi Evaluator (@_Revolution18) September 7, 2018
Oh, and 5. Uyeke isiphithiphiti before you tweet ignorantly.
— Phumzile Van Damme (@zilevandamme) September 7, 2018
Jimmy this mess was caused by Zuma and your handlers guptas, so please ska re bora
— kahiso Makaka (@kagisokakamas) September 7, 2018
Though I'm not Rama and #myanc fan, Mr Manyi sir u r offline on this 1, Zuma messed up this country in 10yrs, so how many yrs we need to clean it?
— Remember mathebula (@baloyi_remember) September 7, 2018
What I dont understand Mr Manyi is you already messed up your legacy why everyday you trying to make it worse and worse. Dont you have children? Grandchildren also will be shamed by you. Keep quiet maybe you can recover your name as a good name but now you making it worse
— Micah (@Micah6ver8) September 7, 2018
The Nerve...?? I can’t believe what Jimmy is saying. We in this mess because of you and your looting crew.
— Thabo Moroke (@thabo_moroke) September 7, 2018
The mess we are in has nothing to do with what we wanted as SAns. The mess is the outcome of what the previous leadership and it’s cheerleaders did and allowed here. We only got what we wanted yesterday.
— sindiswa (@simoolman) September 7, 2018
When you say "YOU" who are you referring to? South Africans wanted all of the above. Unfortunately you won't see anything wrong because you belong to the same group. You benefitted immensely from the Guptas & you can't dispute that fact. That mess was caused by your brothers.
— Skillfulman (@2muzi) September 7, 2018
Mara Jimmy deserves an award of MISSING the Point
— Fixing South Africa (@EffProudly) September 7, 2018
Jimmy! Jimmy! Jimmy! Which planet are you from. You’ve tested positive for corruption, and now you are testing positive for defending it!
— RadicallyTransformed (@RadicallyT) September 7, 2018
The fact that there WASN'T a market approved finance minister to begin with is on him. The fact that the Gupta's influenced government business is on him, previous Eskom board, again is on him. We established an enquiry to probed his entire leadership since 2007 basically.
— TherealCMshika (@c_mshika) September 7, 2018
In times such these I so wish Scorpions were still alive to kick the butt, sadly we now live in a state that has dysfunctional and captured law enforcement agencies which gives many looters the arrogance to spit in the face of the disempowered poor who will never taste Dubai
— iNtando YamaSwati (@qipmedia) September 7, 2018
And people who created this mess are your Gupta buddies and thereafter give you the company they build with taxpayers money as gift for protecting them while they loot.
— Matshedisob1 (@Matshedisob11) September 7, 2018
You said pic.twitter.com/22wgBqsrfT
— Katlego Monama (@Jomo_SA) September 7, 2018
It all your fault @zilevandamme ??????????
— Leigh DD "Proud Shitolian" (@Leigh2DD) September 7, 2018
Manyi has been linked to the Gupta family, most recently at the ongoing judicial commission of inquiry into state capture, where he was implicated in testimony by acting Government Communication and Information System(GCIS) director general Phumla Williams.
Williams told the commission that a number of tender processes were flouted, and government funds were channelled to the Guptas' media interests during Manyi's time as CEO of GCIS.
Particular mention was made of the controversial SABC/The New Age (TNA) breakfasts, arranged by the Gupta-owned newspaper.
Manyi further landed himself in hot water when he sent Williams a text message during a break in her testimony, instructing her to tell the commission that "the TNA breakfasts did not happen in his time". Williams asserted that Manyi was trying to influence her submission.
Manyi has since formally written to the commission, asking for an opportunity to "place his version on record".