Malema says Ndlozi is perfect, but lacks one ‘important’ feature

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema shared a light moment with KAYA FM host Phemelo Motene when he praised fellow fighter Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, but also threw shade at him.

Malema said although the EFF hopes for a majority win, a coalition government was the second option for the party.

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“Once the voters don’t give anyone a decisive majority, they’re saying to you: ‘You guys have to work together’. So we have to navigate it through principles and the kind of leadership you bring to the fore,” said the EFF leader.

He then praise Ndlozi as a near-perfect man, compared to Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi.

He said: “If I had to bring Ndlozi and say: ‘We’re going into a coalition with the ANC in Gauteng, we want premiership, here’s Ndlozi, and the ANC says ‘we want premiership, here’s Lesufi’, we then leave it to you as the voters and say look at the two. Nowhere does Lesufi comes close to Ndlozi, not only in looks, but in all respects.

“Ndlozi is one guy who was favoured by God. He’s got the brains, the ladies say he’s got the looks – I don’t know that, he’s got humility and a voice to sing. I’ve never seen everything in one person. That’s the kind of person we’re giving you. You’ll have to make a decision.”

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But he’s missing one thing.

“But the other thing, when every time people jump to him, I know there’s going to be the last statement, which is: ‘but you’re too short’ and I say: ‘mmhh, that’s very important’.”

Cadre deployment

The EFF leader further commented on cadre deployment – a hot topic lately in light of the ANC’s court blow with an order to give the DA its deployment meeting minutes.

Although the ANC policy has been highly criticised and blamed for the malfunction of state organs, Malema said the policy itself was not an issue.

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“There is nothing wrong with cadre deployment,” said the EFF leader.

“The problem with the ANC cadre deployment is that it doesn’t consider qualifications. It considers sloganeering; who can sing the loudest. ‘I supported you to be a mayor, you’re going to make me head of technical services, but my qualification is a history teacher’. Cadre deployment must be on merit and must be on the basis that ‘yes we prefer you, but you must go and compete’.”

However, Deputy President Paul Mashatile has previously told parliament it was “incorrect” to link cadre deployment with service delivery challenges faced by the country’s municipalities.

“Nobody is deployed in government unless they go through a rigorous process,” said Mashatile.

“If the government advertises a DG post, and ANC feels a comrade is the best for that position, we recommend to him to apply like everybody else, so the process is transparent. The comrade will be interviewed like anybody else, and he won’t be appointed if he fails.

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“Some people may have come, and the ANC likes them but failed to get through. We don’t just say ‘You’re an ANC member; please go and be a DG’. We want your qualifications and check them. There is a process of vetting that takes place.

“Don’t be worried about cadre development policy; it’s a very good policy because it ensures that you prepare your people for this tough process; you train them. A lot of people are being trained in the ANC; we even have a school, the OR Tambo Leadership Academy. We train people all the time because we want the best of the best to go and do the job.”