Trouble in paradise for the EFF

MBOMBELA – A heavy security presence greeted attendees of the media conference to announce the resignation of nine members of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) on Monday at a venue that was well guarded.

Upon arrival, press representatives were welcomed by security guards who ushered them into parking lot and directed them to the venue. The issue was the resignation of Member of the Provincial Legislature and chief whip, Ms Ayanda Tshabalala, but a further eight resignations were announced to everyone’surprise resignations.

These included Mr Mpumelelo Masina, former provincial spokesperson,
Ms Celi Nkambule, Mr Caleb Sibitane, Ms Colisile Mavimbela, Mr Sammy Nkosi, Mr Veli Manzini, Ms Pradacious Mbalathi and Mr Khanyisizwe Mkhatshwa.

Tshabalala said she had decided to leave the EFF due to “painful reasons” which she cited, among others, “as the autocratic rule by its national leaders which included commander-in-chief, Mr Julius Malema and Mr Floyd Shivambu who have ignored our outcry.

“I went to Julius in January last year to report to him that there were a lot of misunderstandings in the province and that things were done harpazardly as there were a lot of lies coming from the provincial leadership. There also was no office to operate from.

“Instead of attending to it personally, he sent Floyd who never saw to it, but focused on election work. At local level, meanwhile, there was a lot of division and autocratic leadership.

It appeared on the surface as if relations were fine, but Collen Sedibe did things on his own and in his own way.

“As the momentum grew, I became frustrated by all his lies. I would get flabbergasted as he would go to an extent of even lying about the number of people who attended campaigns when he reported to the national office. It was then that he got the nickname, ‘Pelepele’,” she said.

Tshabalala further accused Sedibe of having ruled by spreading false propaganda and lies. “His style of leadership demotivated a lot of fighters, especially those from Nkangala where a majority of the EFF’s votes came from. I must admit that I had an acrimonious working relationship with Sedibe,” she added.

Tshabalala further accused the provincial leadership of defrauding the organisation of funds from the legislature budget. “I am a signatory of their bank account, but I would notice payments being made without my authority and claims would many times be inflated.
“As it is, there is a sum of R1,2 million that has yet to be accounted for.

“Another major reason for my resignation is the political shift that the EFF has undergone, moving away from the seven pillars of its objective and deviating from its constitution.

When other members were expelled from the organisation, I reported to the national office and was told it would not deal with petty provincial matters.

“There have been further complaints of female members who were sexually abused with promises of being deployed in the right places. All of those outcries have been ignored. The ignorance of the national and provincial leadership led to the members resorting to starting the Facebook revolution to discredit the organisation.

It was another way of trying to draw the leadership back
to its constituencies and engage with us, but it failed.

“There was then a conspiracy between Sedibe and Mr Cyril Chuene. The latter had his eyes set on the position of Mbombela Local Municipality’s municipal manager, but when that did not materialise he directed his energy to exposing Mbombela at all costs.

“The EFF’s secretary general, Mr Godrich Gardee also harboured motives of being an ambassador, but also failed. In fact, my challenge was to get the whole leadership around the table and clearly disassociate myself from the EFF because it is a movement of celebrities.

“The EFF is treading on pure deception of its electorate and it should stop lying to the people of Mpumalanga,” she concluded.
Asked about her political future and rumours that the ruling party had allegedly promised them jobs and tenders, she said, “I was never a member of the ANC and had no inclination to join it.

I was more interested in the decolonisation of the mind and economic freedom in our lifetime. “Who knows, maybe I can start my own party. There are a lot of options,” she said.

Asked for comment, Sedibe refuted the corruption allegations, citing that he had never been a signatory of any of the EFF’s banking accounts. He Sedibe accused Tshabalala of colluding with the other members to steal money from the party’s coffers.

“If they say I am corrupt, I challenge them to open charges or give proof,” he said. He added there had actually been three EFF members who were currently out on bail after they had been charged with the theft of R90 000 from the party.

He said the provincial leadership had not been surprised about Tshabalala’s resignation. “We knew she was on her way out because she was promised heaven on earth,” said Sedibe.