The Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande, reported to Twitter authorities’ bloggers who threatened violence and physical harm against the Minister and his family.

Yesterday, the 6th June 2021, Minister Nzimande was having lunch  with family, when a blogger who was at the same restaurant threatened physical violence against the Minister on Twitter.

The initiator blogger said “Guys I’m at a restaurant and there’s a minister here-should I hit him?” Another blogger responded “send location, sizokusiza”. 

Another blogger went further making threats and very worrisome inferences on the work of  Ministers.

In responding to the instigator blogger, the blogger  said “stand up and clink a glass and call attention to their table and offer a short thought ‘we deserve better from you and your friends and you deserve to be uncomfortable in public spaces until you start doing your jobs’”

It is very apparent that the said bloggers did not only threaten the personal safety of the Minister and his family, but also sought to publicly humiliate the Minister. 

When Minister Nzimande was made aware of the tweets, the Minister recognised the individual who was  seated not a distance from where the Minister was seated at the time when the Minister was at the said restaurant in Howick, outside Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu Natal.

The bloggers violated twitter rules and regulations which are against the incitement of violence and physical safety of fellow bloggers or members of the public.

Minister Nzimande will be opening  a case against the bloggers with the Police and will further consider taking legal action against the bloggers and other accomplices who join the tweets by inciting violence and hate.

Issued by Ishmael Mnisi on behalf of Department of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, 7 June 2021