Three of the five Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF) top brass are set to contest for re-election to their respective positions when the party heads to its third elective conference, dubbed the national people’s assembly, in December 2024.
EFF leader and founder Julius Malema has made it clear that he intends to contest and is most likely to be re-elected unopposed. On Monday, 25 November 2024, he indicated that if the delegates gave the current top five a mandate to serve again, he was “prepared to go back with them”, citing good relations.
Party secretary-general Marshal Dlamini and deputy secretary-general Poppy Mailola said they were up for the task, while treasurer-general Omphile Maotwe and national chairperson Veronica Mente said they would not make any pronouncements, but would hear from their branches.
The EFF is without a deputy president following Floyd Shivambu’s defection to Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party. Mente and the former party secretary-general Godrich Gardee are at the forefront of the race to replace Shivambu.
Read more: EFF is in a tight spot after defections and will need a tough reinvention
The fourth-largest party in the country has in recent months suffered major electoral losses, including losing its position as the third-largest political party. It has also experienced a mass exodus of high-profile members including Shivambu, Dali Mpofu, Mzwanele Manyi and Busisiwe Mkhwebane, who have all defected to the MK party.
‘Painful year’
Reflecting on 2024, Malema said: “It has been a painful year, we are not closing it with a bang.”
Malema was speaking to journalists following a site inspection of the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg where the conference will be held.
Malema said the loss of members had been painful – even if a single member left. At the time of Shivambu’s departure from the EFF, he likened it to the loss of his mother.
Read more: Malema claims Mpofu wanted to dissolve the EFF and unite behind a Zuma-led party
While more have followed Shivambu, Malema characterised them as expired goods, saying the organisation was now rebuilding.
“All those we anticipated would leave have left, now we are proper,” he said.
City Press recently reported that Mbuyiseni Ndlozi had been barred from attending the conference. Quizzed about this, Malema dismissed it as mere gossip.
“I don’t know what you want me to answer on Ndlozi because I never said anything about Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, so do not bring your shebeen gossip to me and want me to glorify some toilet discussion. I am not part of that.
“EFF has never said anything, if we have got anything to tell you, we will communicate it,” he said.
Malema spent a considerable amount of time speaking about loyalty and betrayal, saying he would never forgive those who failed to inform him of Shivambu’s departure.
“I do not trust them and will never trust them. Because trust is earned when you show loyalty at the point where it’s most needed, not when it’s a nice time… You must show loyalty at the most tested moments …and people who are not loyal must never be trusted by anyone. They will kill you,” he said.
Malema would not be drawn into naming those who had betrayed him: “Don’t ask me to name and shame disloyal people, that is like committing suicide.”
‘Discontent’
Ndlozi’s supposed barring is said to have caused discontent among branches that support him. The Mail and Guardian reported that Malema was likely to face open rebellion at the conference as some branches intended to protest and demand that his suspension be lifted. Malema laughed off the reports.
“We don’t anticipate any challenges, we anticipate robust debate,” he told journalists.
Read more: Quo vadis, EFF? Finding a new leadership style and niche in a crowded and lethal playing field
While Malema had a cordial relationship with Zuma leading up to the 29 May elections, on Monday he made an about-turn, labelling him corrupt. This is despite the EFF being a part of the progressive caucus (of which the MK is also a part, and has a bigger share) in Parliament. It was established by a group of opposition parties to oppose the government of national unity.
“We have no relationship with MK party and even worse now when MK party has made it its programme to recruit members of the EFF.”
In 2021, Malema and his entourage visited Zuma at his Nkandla home in an unsuccessful bid to encourage Zuma to attend the Zondo commission.
After Zuma’s refusal to appear before the commission, he was subsequently sentenced to 15 months for defying a Constitutional Court court order. He handed himself over to the Estcourt Correctional Centre in July 2021. His imprisonment sparked violent protests that led to the deaths of more than 300 people.
“I went to Zuma to save the country but I failed. Unlike many of you losers, I did not fail to try,” Malema told journalists. DM