‘ANC is f***ing up’ SA, but EFF, PA no better, says Joburg mayoral candidate

A career politician who has become an infamous party-hopper over several elections says his former political homes are ruining the country, and he wants to fulfil their broken promises.

He is currently contesting as mayoral candidate in Johannesburg for the The Bolsheviks Party of South Africa, making it the fifth party he has campaigned for over the last decade.

While he is critical of the ANC and the EFF as they are today, Lufuno Gogoro admits his party is not offering anything new, but simply wants to implement the failed promises of the ANC.

“Actually the ANC is f*cking up the country. They have abandoned the struggle and are now fighting for the stomach,” he remarks.

Gogoro joined the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) circa 2007.

He says he grew up on black consciousness principles imparted on him by his elders from his village home in Nzhelele, near Tzaneen in Limpopo, as well as in his second home in Klipspruit, Soweto.

“When I was recruited to join the ANCYL by Paul Mashatile, I came in with the black consciousness mentality. We are black, not because of our pigmentation, but because of our mentality, because we are poor,” he says.

He appears to have rubbed shoulders and worked closely with some of South Africa’s most powerful politicians, including Malema, from their ANCYL days, to Andile Mgxitama when he joined the break-away party Black First Land First (BLF).

Also Read: One man, four political parties: Who is Loyiso Nkohla really?

The Malema connection

Gogoro was part of the chorus of ANC youth who pushed for the nationalisation of mines, banks and other strategic economic sectors. He supported land expropriation without compensation, and would eventually form part of the original break-away group that became the EFF.

“My time with the Youth League was the most exciting time of my life. He was one of those leaders that you could worship,” he says of Malema. “So I don’t regret my time with the ANCYL.”

He says when the party began abandoning some of its core values about the redistribution of wealth and land, he decided to join the EFF. He goes as far as crediting himself with the formation of the party.

“I formed the EFF. We formed the EFF … actually I invited Julius to come and lead us. Unfortunately when we were busy working I started to realise that he would (put) friends into positions and then he would leave the ground forces. He abandoned those of us on the ground who worked so hard to make sure the EFF does get seats. Then I was expelled for raising issues, which was not right.”

Gogoro was part of a group of disgruntled EFF members who, in 2014, attempted to stop the party’s December elective conference through court action. Gogoro even claims to have come up with the idea for EFF members to wear red overalls.

The Citizen has put these claims to the EFF which did not respond to questions.

“I loved everything about the EFF. I contributed in terms of developing the seven cardinal pillars and everything else. I introduced the overall that you see them wearing.”

Patriotic Alliance

In 2016, Gogoro was employed by the Patriotic Alliance to help with its campaign in Johannesburg for the local government election that year.

He says he never officially joined the party as a member. Around the time he became involved with the PA, he accused the EFF of making death threats at him.

A short stint with Khoza

The eclectic politician also worked with Dr Makhosi Khoza, the former ANC MP who is running for Mayor of Durban with new contenders, Action SA.

He claims to have helped found Khoza’s break-away organisation Adec (African Democratic Change).

He has accused Khoza of using Adec as a Plan B strategy in case then presidential candidate Cyril Ramaphosa lost his bid at the 2017 elective conference of the ANC.

“When Cyril won she said we cannot continue with the organisation as a party, lets rather turn it into a feminist organisation. I was so frustrated, we didn’t actually see eye to eye. That is when I left.”

Now a proud supporter of former president Jacob Zuma, Gogoro plans to use his new political position to further the promises that the ANC made during the Zuma era of the party.

Though he is not a staunch Marxist due to his Christianity, Gogoro believes the Russian Revolution-inspired party he has joined has its heart in the right place.

Simnikiweh@citizen.co.za