Mmusi Maimane: ‘Before Usimamane there was Dr Mmusi Maimane’

Posted on August 8, 2025
107

Maimane did a rendition of Zola 7’s “X Girlfriend” on SABC 1’s faith-based show Crux back in the day.

In a timely Throwback Thursday video, footage of politician Mmusi Maimane surfaced on Thursday of him as a budding rap artist.

Doing a rendition of Zola 7’s song X Girlfriend, Maimane performed on SABC 1’s faith-based TV show Crux.

His version of the song was about Christmas, while the original song was about a former lover.

Wearing chain and the attire of a Kwaito artist, Maimane’s lyrics were about the birth of Christ and celebrating the festive season.a

“I was moving, cooking and good looking,” said the Build One South Africa (BOSA) leader. However, he seemed to have confused the original author of the song, as he said that he needs to do a remix of the song with Kabelo ‘Booga Luv’ Mabalane.

“I think I need to do a remix with Booga Luv for this December. What a throwback Thursday,” he wrote.

Showing off some rhyming skills, the politician said: “Before Usimamane there was Dr Mmusi Maimane.”

ALSO READ: WATCH: Build One South Africa’s Mmusi Maimane’s gets his PhD 

Maimane’s playful side

Maimane recently earned his PhD in Public Management and Governance from the University of Johannesburg.

“I don’t come from a family of academics in that sense. I started my academic journey here at Raucall (now the UJ Academy), and then to complete the journey here at UJ is an incredible achievement,” he said about his academic milestone.

Despite his role as a politician, the former DA leader has always shown his playful side on social media.

During last year’s General Elections, he humorously tore into celebrities who support the ANC. DJ Shimza was his biggest target, after the entertainer endorsed the ANC, describing him as ‘DJ Tinstwalo wama tender.’

“You have more tenders than hits,” Maimane tweeted. Maimane showed some wit in his criticism of Shimza, showing off some wordplay.

By using the ‘UR’ instead of correctly writing it out, the Bosa leader was referencing Shimza’s popular rooftop shows, titled U’R [Home].

In another tweet, Maimane placed a screenshot of a 2021 article on the DJ being under investigation by the Public Service Commission (PSC).

The investigation was about how Shimza, whose real name is Ashley Raphala, bagged a R150 000 government gig allegedly without tendering for it or being in the department of Tourism’s database.

But in posting the article’s screenshot and a photo of Shimza behind the decks next to Fikile Mbalula, he caption his thread: “Athi ngithule” (let me keep quiet). 

The correct spelling would’ve been ‘Awuthi ngithule’ but he misspelt the first part to reference Athi Geleba, who is Head of Digital Communications in the Presidency, and is also Shimza’s partner.

In another post targeting broadcaster Loot Love, Maimane displayed more tongue-in-cheek. “Loot Love endorsed a party that loves to loot,” said Maimane’s tweet.

NOW READ: Shimza steadfast on his support for ANC despite Mmusi Maimane’s criticism