EFF rejects invitation to attend MK party’s anniversary rally

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has declined the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party’s invitation to attend its first-anniversary rally this weekend.

The red berets held a press briefing on Thursday afternoon on the state of readiness for its Third National People’s Assembly.

The Assembly will sit this weekend at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg.

Ready for conference

During the media briefing, EFF secretary general Marshall Dlamini said everything is running smoothly and the party is ready.

Dlamini said one of the most important things about the assembly is the discussions taking place in the plenary.

“As we are here, we are handing over this organisation back to its owners, which are the delegates. We have quality delegates with the mandates from their branches and provinces,” he said.

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“We are confident that when we come out of here, the EFF will be stronger, and it will rise and take its rightful position to lead society and the country.”

On Wednesday, the MK party extended an invitation to the EFF to attend its first anniversary rally at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.

MK secretary-general Floyd Shivambu announced that the African Transformation Movement (ATM) already accepted the invitation, but it was unclear whether the EFF will attend.

EFF not attending MK rally

Dlamini confirmed on Thursday that EFF will not be attending.

“I don’t have a letter from the president of the MK. They put it on media, and we are not going to the rally of MK,” he said. 

The party’s relationship with the MK party has been strained after notable EFF figures, including former national chairperson Dali Mpofu, former ATM member Mzwanele Manyi, and former public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane, defected to the MK party.

Watch the EFF’s press conference here:

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Additional reporting by Itumeleng Mafisa and Molefe Seeletsa