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If ever ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu needed reassurance that speaking out was the right thing to do, he got it from three strangers in Parliament.
An interview with City Press yesterday turned into a “meet and greet” session as well-wishers kept approaching him to shower him with praise after he said the entire ANC national executive committee should resign.
While walking about 10 metres on the parliamentary precinct, he was stopped by members of the public who showered him with praise.
While interacting with City Press just outside the Imbizo centre, an older man who was walking past backtracked when he realised who Mthembu was.
“Ah Mthembu!” he greeted.
“I always see you on TV; this is the first time I’ve see you in person,” he said in isiXhosa, shaking his hand.
The man, a visitor to Parliament, added: “You must continue fighting. You have to fight. People forget the difficult fight for this freedom; we can’t allow things to be ruined. Continue with the good work!”
Mthembu thanked the man repeatedly.
The man disappeared, and as if coordinated, a woman, also a visitor to Parliament, came from a different direction.
She could be in her 30s or 40s, and was dressed very smartly.
She apologised for interrupting us, adding: “But Mr Mthembu, I have to shake your hand and say thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you for what you are doing,” she said as she walked away.
Mthembu continued his interview while walking towards the Poorthuis building that houses his office.
He dismissed a question as to whether this kind of thing was a common occurrence.
But there was one more compliment coming his way. A young man, who could be in his teens or early 20s, approached Mthembu and shook his hand, mumbling something that City Press could not hear.
The young man later asked to take a picture with the ANC chief whip, with the City Press journalist being the camera person.
