Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini’s spokesperson Lumka Oliphant has taken “full responsibility” for her vuilbek rant on Facebook over the minister’s sobriety.
Oliphant trended on Twitter and made news last week over her Facebook post defending her boss, who was accused of being gesuip at an event in Germiston.
Oliphant claimed that Dlamini was not drunk, that she did not drink alcohol and would prefer to have it banned.
She then described the mothers of those who differed with her of being “village whores”.
“I have decided to take this alcohol matter to the gutter where you have taken it. If you have said that Bathabile drinks, I say that your mother is the whore of the town. You can identify an alcoholic because your mother is one,” she said.
Her post prompted many to call for her resignation.
Speaking on The Eusebius McKaiser Show on Radio 702 yesterday, the host asked if Oliphant felt she needed to apologise, she responded in Xhosa: “Ndithi, kubafazi endibathukileyo, ndicela uxolo”, loosely translated “I say to the women I have insulted, I’m sorry”.
Oliphant said her post was “unfortunate and regrettable”.
She said Dlamini, who is also president of the ANC Women’s League, was a leading figure in the fight against alcohol and substance abuse, and gender-based violence in the country.
Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba’s spokesperson Mayihlome Tshwete phoned in, and said the post was “unprofessional, it should not have been said”.
Oliphant refused to answer the question on whether she would resign over the saga.