‘You listen to gossip’: Malema rubbishes claims he’s bypassing EFF’s democratic processes

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has rubbished claims of imposing his own preferred leaders on EFF members, ahead of the party’s provincial elective conferences next month.

Provincial People’s Assemblies

This follows media reports over the weekend, that some party members were accusing Malema of bypassing the EFF’s internal democratic processes, in the build up to the Provincial People’s Assemblies (PPAs) in North West and Gauteng.

Malema, speaking at a media briefing on Tuesday in Johannesburg, dismissed the allegations as just mere gossip.

He said the media could not prove these allegations because the EFF had not received any disputes from disgruntled party members.  

“You can’t give me [one dispute] all of you sitting here. You listen to gossip, you don’t do thorough work and then you bring gossip to me,” Malema said, referring to journalists attending the EFF’s briefing.

ALSO READ: Malema: EFF will ‘never get tired’ of pushing for Ramaphosa, Godongwana’s resignations

Malema denied that he played any role in the day-to-day running of the EFF’s operations.

He said the planning around the party’s provincial conferences was handled by EFF secretary general Marshall Dlamini and his deputy, Poppy Mailola.

“I play a very small role when it comes to PPAs and my role is to go to a PPA, speak and go,” Malema said.

“I don’t do registrations, I don’t get involved in membership, I don’t run elections unless the PPA degenerates and requires intervention. Only then, I will be called to come back and intervene,” he added.

EFF suspends members

The EFF commander-in-chief announced that the party’s central command team (CCT) meeting, which met over the weekend, resolved to suspend three of its members in the North West for fraudulent activities during branch meetings.

These included the EFF’s Bojanala regional secretary, Reuben Mohulatsi, who was suspended for a period of three years for allegedly falsifying the attendance register for a branch meeting.

Malema said such fraudulent acts were undermining the EFF’s growth prospects as a political party.

“Where we find wrongdoing, we deal with it thoroughly,” Malema said.

The EFF in the North West is expected to hold its Provincial People’s Assembly from 2 to 4 September. Gauteng’s PPA will be held from 9 to 11 September.

NOW READ: Hawks refuse to be drawn on the ‘nitty gritty’ details of Phala Phala