Mbalula Backs MySol After EFF Attack And Vows To Call Malema For Private Talks

ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula stepped into a brewing political firestorm on Thursday, throwing his full weight behind embattled Johannesburg entrepreneur Solomon “MySol” Madibela after Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema launched a public offensive against the businessman’s reputation and commercial interests.

Mbalula, speaking directly to reporters outside Luthuli House in Marshalltown, described Madibela as a “solid South African entrepreneur” whose contributions to local business deserve recognition rather than targeted attacks. The ANC’s most senior official confirmed he intends to contact Malema personally — reaching out through private channels to grasp the full nature of the disagreement and broker a peaceful resolution between the two parties.

The EFF’s national leadership had not issued any formal counter-statement by the time this article went to press, and Malema’s spokesperson offered no clarification regarding the origin or substance of the organisation’s grievances against Madibela. The party’s silence deepened speculation across political circles about what triggered the confrontation in the first place.

Madibela built his brand through years of community-facing ventures and grassroots commercial activity, earning devoted followings in townships where his MySol name carries considerable weight. The tension with Malema surfaced publicly in recent weeks, drawing swift reactions from prominent figures across the governing alliance who view him as a legitimate, home-grown success story deserving protection from political interference.

When Mbalula left the building, a cluster of supporters gathered near the entrance, some wearing ANC regalia, others pressing against steel barriers — one older woman clutching a handwritten placard that simply read “Leave Our Entrepreneurs Alone” in thick black marker. That placard, creased at the corners and held with trembling determination, captured exactly what was at stake beyond boardrooms and press conferences.

What nobody has yet answered is why Malema chose this particular moment, this particular man, as a target. Whether the grievance is personal, ideological, or tied to competing business interests remains entirely unclear — and until Mbalula makes that call, South Africa waits to discover whether dialogue will quiet this dispute or whether it escalates into something neither party can easily walk back from.