ANC, EFF are not that different from each other, says Ronald Lamola

Amid growing speculation that the EFF might merge with the ANC after Jacob Zuma was recalled from office as state president last month, former ANC Youth League deputy president Ronald Lamola says he believes the two political parties are not that different from each other.

Lamola, a member of the ANC’s national executive committee, said in an interview with Power FM on Tuesday night that it was up to the red berets to decide whether to return to the governing party.

“My view is that there is no fundamental ideological differences [between the ANC and EFF]. I think at some point the roads will again converge,” Lamola said.

“In terms of policies – for example, the land issue – there was some convergence, but there will still be some tactical and strategic differences, which I think it is what we are currently dealing with.”

Lamola said the ANC’s decision to vote in support of land expropriation without compensation after the EFF brought the motion to the National Assembly last week was a long time coming, as the land question was “the elephant in the room” in the country’s political discourse.

He said now that the ANC had resolved on the land question and the need for a Codesa-like land summit at its national conference in December last year, he was comforted that the ANC had risen above narrow party lines in parliament in the interest of citizens.

“South Africans are tired of hearing us talking about ourselves, being inward looking and seeing bickering from political parties. They want to hear political parties talking about what is going to happen to the issues that are affecting them on a day-to-day basis irrespective of whether you’re an ANC or EFF member.”

According to Lamola, the ANC leadership in the Eastern Cape has accepted the EFF’s offer to table a motion of no confidence in April against DA member and Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Athol Trollip after the EFF and DA fell out over land expropriation without compensation.

The red berets have stated they would vote in favour of a credible candidate for mayor should the ANC nominate former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas for the position.

“I think there will be some engagements and discussions [with the EFF], and we will arrive at a particular conclusion, which might be an agreement or disagreement,” Lamola said.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday at the launch of anti-racism week at the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg, Jonas said he was ready to be deployed to wherever the ANC needed him and he was not disappointed that he did not get a post in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s new Cabinet.

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