WATCH: BBC journalist GRILLS Fikile Mbalula on ‘insurrection’ claims

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula might be feeling a bit regretful after he conducted a television interview with the BBC just recently. Mbalula was a guest on the news channel’s current affairs programme HARDTalk and the results are… let’s just say cringe worthy.

The interview focused on the latest developments in the country, including the aftermath of the recent riots, the Phoenix deaths and Cape Town taxi violence. The host of the programme, Stephen Sackur did not hold back and grilled the minister – particularly on the contradictory messages coming from government.

WATCH: Fikile Mbalula sticks to his guns

Fikile Mbalula exposed by BBC journalist there was no face of coup d'etat at all pic.twitter.com/O8avoxJHh2

— 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐚𝐤𝐠𝐚𝐝𝐢 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐫 (@BlackCulture_HM) July 21, 2021

Here’s how we got here: It all started when Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula told Parliament that she did not think the recent riots (which rocked parts of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal) were a result of an attempted coup or insurrection – contradicting President Cyril Ramaphosa’s assertion.

“We heard people making reference to the insurrection or coup. If it is an insurrection or coup, it must have a face. Our view is that we are seeing signs of counter-revolution, which is creeping up in the form of hooliganism and thuggery,” Mapisa-Nqakula said at the time.

Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni then hit back at her defence counterpart’s statement, claiming they were not backed by facts.

“We want to clarify that the position of the government is that as articulated by the president, of an attempt at an insurrection in the country. That perspective is informed by discussions at the National Security Council, which is chaired by the president and receives briefings from the military commanders and other law-enforcement officials,” Ntshavheni said.

Twitter has been awash with reactions to the awkward BBC interview, with some even praising Sackur for asking the “hard-hitting questions” – here’s what some South Africans have had to say.

Fikile Mbalula won't recover from that.

— King (@kingSnezzo) July 22, 2021

While ridiculing Fikile Mbalula for his BBC interview, let it not be forgotten that he did say if South Africans don’t want the ANC government then they should overthrow it.

The problem with SA is not Zuma or Ramaphosa. It’s not even the ANC. It’s us who continue to vote ANC

— GoodFella (@Sbuda_MoLife) July 22, 2021

Someone please check on Fikile Mbalula, he blocked me

— Modibe Modiba (@mmodiba10) July 21, 2021