Undoubtedly, transport minister Fikile Mbalula is the most active and most followed politician on social media, specifically Twitter.
Unfortunately, the former ANC Youth League president says little or less about the plans, programmes and policies to improve his department. "Mr Fix It", as he calls himself on Twitter, does not fix or repair anything but seems to break everything.
With the ailing and collapsed railway infrastructure, and with trains not running in most parts of the country, problems with the taxi industry and no conclusive decision on the controversial Gauteng etolls, he surely has too much on his plate.
However, the former police minister and erstwhile sport minister seems to like the limelight and is often caught off-side. He has over the years been hogging the headlines for all the wrong reasons, and it doesn't seem like he will stop anytime soon. Actually, he's a magnet of controversy, mostly self-manufactured crisis.
In all the portfolios he has held, he focuses more on issues outside of his terrain instead of burning issues he should be dealing with. He behaves more like a celebrity or the so-called influencer than a politician serving public office.
To his credit, he is good at organising and mobilising voters for the governing party, the ANC, but less effective as a minister in all the portfolios he has held.
Despite failing in basic writing skills as evident in his Twitter account and known to be mangling and manipulating the Queen's language, he is the most recognised politician and has a huge following on the same social media platform.
Alas! His latest controversial tweet claiming to have landed in war-ravaged Ukraine while the department of international relations was hard at work ensuring South Africans stuck in the country safely return home, was insensitive and left a bitter taste in the mouth.
His reckless use of social media is well-documented, and wrestling with the media during a doorstep press conference this week and the continued mudslinging with Newzroom Afrika reporter Ziyanda Ngcobo on social media has muddied the waters. Failing to respond to basic questions or at least atone for his recklessness, he became abrasive.
It's high time that politicians like Mbalula, known as Mbaks in political and social circles, are held accountable for their rogue and reckless use of social media.
I always advocate for companies, organisations, municipalities and the media to develop their social media policies, over and above their respective code of ethics, with clear consequences for transgressors.
Elected representatives should and must always behave ethically, even on social media. It is about their reputation and the credibility of the departments they are leading. Mbalula took an oath of office and promised to abide by the Executive Members' Act and Members of Parliament Code of Ethics. He should therefore be hauled over the coals.
A free piece of advice for Mbalula: stay away from social media, appoint a spokesperson and a team of social media specialists to manage it because you have burnt your fingers so many times for tweeting without thinking and sometimes out of excitement.
Such kindergarten stuff Mbalula tweeted about Ukraine does not bode well for the country.
Perhaps President Cyril Ramaphosa should establish a ministry of entertainment for the likes of Mbalula to lead since he seems to enjoy Hollywood stuff and hanging with celebrities.
• Sepotokele is a journalist, communication strategist and media trainer
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