Picture: Gallo Image / Foto24 / Nardus Engelbrecht)
Veteran journalist Redi Tlhabi has blasted Jacob Zuma and his daughter, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla in a Twitter spat, calling the former president’s daughter ‘vile and dishonest’. She also labelled the former president as a “creep and a predator”.
Zuma-Sambudla retaliated and threatened to reveal “files” insinuating that Tlhabi had met with her father several times. She called the award winning radio and television broadcaster “bitter” and claimed Tlhabi had secretly visited Zuma at his Forest Town home.
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A furious Tlhabi hit back, not only dismissing claims made by Zuma-Sambudla, but reminding his daughter that her father was the subject of a rape trial before becoming South Africa’s president.
“However, I went to Dumberton Residence, his OFFICIAL residence as [deputy president] to interview him as Burundi mediator. But like you, he sees professional settings as opportunities to be creepy. He became creepy and predatory. That’s who your father is. Your mother knew him well. YOU deserve him,” Tlhabi said.
Tlhabi authored a powerful biography of Zuma’s rape accuser Fezekile Kuzwayo in a book titled Kwezi. In the aftermath of the trial in 2006, which saw Zuma acquitted. Kuzwayo was vilified by his many supporters and was forced to take refuge outside of South Africa.
“You are TRULY your father’s child. Vile and dishonest. You sat i (sic) court of law and justified his rapey, predatory abuse of Fezeka Kuzwayo. So nothing will stop you from doing it here. I have NEVER visited his Forest Town home. I have NEVER been to Genadendal since Mbeki’s presidency.”
– Redi Thlabi
Zuma-Sambudla didn’t seem to mind being associated with her father’s alleged sexually predatory behaviour.
She responded that she was proud to be Zuma’s daughter.
Zuma-Sambudla has been more vocal than usual on Twitter since the courts ordered her father to hand himself over to correctional services.
So far she’s dragged transport minister Fikile Mbalula for visiting Zuma’s Nkandla home on the eve of his prison deadline. She also locked horns with supermodel Naomi Campbell for speaking out against July’s violent riots.
Her twin Duduzane has also been vocal in his support for his father. During the riots, he famously posted a video asking “people to loot responsibly”.
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