Mbalula should retract irresponsible Kenya comments
30 April 2014
The comments made yesterday by the Minister of Sports and Recreation, Fikile Mbalula, about Kenyan athletes constitutes nothing less than a diplomatic blunder. He should immediately retract and apologise for these irresponsible remarks.
During a breakfast meeting between editors of the various media houses and the ANC leadership, Minister Mbalula said "South Africa wouldn't be like Kenya and send athletes to the Olympics to drown in the pool."
These comments are unacceptable and deeply offensive to the people of Kenya, and should be retracted without further delay. Xenophobic utterances of this nature not only compromise our diplomatic relations with other African countries; but also are highly embarrassing for South Africans, especially coming from a cabinet Minister.
It is for this reason that I will submit parliamentary questions at the earliest sitting of the fifth Parliament to satisfy that Minister Mablula has formally apologised in writing to the Kenyan High Commissioner for his reckless and unfounded comments.