ANC to hold talks with EFF at Malema’s request – report

Officials of the African National Congress (ANC) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) are reportedly planning to hold formal co-operation talks at the request of Julius Malema, Sunday Times reports.

Malema this week told the weekly that he had written to the governing party requesting the meeting to resolve a number of issues, which included the renaming of Cape Town International Airport.

The EFF leader last week at the funeral service of ANC stalwart Winnie Madikizela-Mandela called for the renaming of the airport in her honour.

Madikizela-Mandela had in the past expressed her wish for the EFF to either return to the ANC or that the two parties explore a possible working relationship.

ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe confirmed to Sunday Times the EFF’s request for a meeting. He said the office of the party’s secretary-general, Ace Magashule, was looking at possible dates when all the ANC’s officials would be available.

Malema said he requested the meeting so that the EFF and ANC “can find each other”, but there were no discussions on the red berates’ return to the governing party or a coalition agreement on the cards.

The former ANC Youth League leader, who was expelled from the party in 2012, said there was closer alignment between the EFF and the ANC. He told the publication the ANC had met most of the conditions his party had listed during coalition talks after the 2016 local government elections.

In February,  the National Assembly successfully passed an EFF- sponsored motion to allow for the expropriation of land without compensation, which was supported by the ANC.

The matter has been referred to the Constitutional Review Committee which is expected to report back to parliament by August 30 after undergoing a public participation process.

However, Malema has criticised President Cyril Ramaphosa for being indecisive when dealing with corruption in government, saying this was “a fundamental issue that makes us fight with the ANC”.

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