Stop copying us, Malema – BLF

The party says the 'EFF is fighting Gordhan like two house slaves desperate to impress the master'.


In a press release, Black First Land First (BLF) has accused Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema of “plagiarising” them.

According to the radical leftist party, Malema first flip-flops on issues, then looks to the BLF “for direction on all major political decisions so to seem like they are self-correcting”.

The release goes on to say that the “EFF marched with AfriForum, the Democratic Alliance (DA), and others, to protect Pravin Gordhan” only to “repeat BLF’s call for Gordhan to go”, something the party said the EFF only started doing today.

The EFF have, in fact, been calling for Gordhan’s head since at least July, when Malema declared war on him during a speech at his party’s fifth birthday party.

READ MORE: Malema declares war on Ramaphosa, Motsepe and Gordhan

BLF did get a head start on this, laying charges against the minister and declaring him a “serial lawbreaker” back in February 2017.

BLF also laid claim to starting the attack on Gordhan’s daughter Anisha 18 months ago, only to be copied by the EFF in the past few days.

EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu tweeted, earlier today, that: “Anisha Gordhan has in the past few weeks went around closing all her bank accounts to hide the hundreds of millions she received as payments from government. It’s too late because we will still reveal all the details.”

In BLF’s defence, they do at least get the name of the minister’s daughter right. The EFF referred to her as “Alicia Gordhan” on Twitter on Monday.

The party believe the EFF offers a “watered down” version of their white monopoly capital theory.

They accuse the EFF of “fighting Gordhan like two house slaves desperate to impress the master”.

They also say the plagiarism doesn’t bother them, as they are “the ideological spear in Azania that leads the fight against white monopoly capital.”

If Malema really wants to show he is fighting against white monopoly capital, according to BLF, he and the EFF need to complete a series of tasks prescribed by the party that include “apologising to Jacob Zuma, Hlaudi Motsoeneng, Dudu Myeni, Mosebenzi Zwane, and Brian Molefe” and cutting ties with “London, Stellenbosch, and Adrianno Mazzoti”.

He must also “cut ties with Helen Zille”, according to the statement. Whether or not Zille has a secret relationship with the EFF commander-in-chief that South Africa is largely unaware of, is unclear.

READ MORE: EFF has no real intention to get rid of Msimanga – report

Malema must also “apologise for giving land thieves political power in Tshwane, Johannesburg, and Nelson Mandela Bay”.

This is a reference to how the EFF voted with the DA in 2016, which enabled the party to gain control of the metros mentioned. They have since backtracked, working with the ANC to remove Nelson Mandela Bay’s DA mayor Athol Trollip and attempting to remove Solly Msimanga in Tshwane. They have, however, said that Johannesburg’s Herman Mashaba was safe for now.

Finally, BLF called on Malema to “account fully for VBS, repent and undertake a lifestyle audit”.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.

Access premium news and stories

Access to the top content, vouchers and other member only benefits