‘We’re prepared to swallow our pride’ – Malema gives Mashaba advice on coalition negotiations

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has said that ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba should be prepared to compromise to form coalition governments in hung municipalities.

Malema made the remarks as the EFF hosted a welcoming ceremony for AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo at the Nkululekweni residence in Mthatha on Saturday. The EFF held the event to hand over a Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe SUV, worth more than R1.8 million, to the king.

Malema used the event as an opportunity speak about the coalition negotiations that are currently taking place. ActionSA on Saturday said it had rejected “a proposal” from the EFF to form coalitions because those coalitions would involve the African National Congress (ANC).

ALSO READ: ActionSA rejects EFF coalition proposal due to ANC involvement

Malema suggested that the EFF and ActionSA use the ANC to get control of municipalities and then govern those municipalities without the ruling party.

“Mashaba says he’s not going into a coalition that gets votes from the ANC. Our coalition is very simple… we give you Joburg, and you don’t have to include the ANC, but the ANC must vote for you. [The EFF and ActionSA] don’t have numbers. We need the numbers from the ANC to help us get a clean government. They don’t come with you, they just vote for you and then we keep them out. Then you have the municipality and can deliver jobs to the people.”

“[Mashaba] says ‘no, I don’t want the vote of the ANC’. Refusing to constitute a clean municipality without the ANC… we give Mashaba Joburg, EFF takes Tshwane, the ANC takes Ekurhuleni. We don’t co-govern, we all govern alone.”

Malema then said that Mashaba needs to be prepared to make concessions.

“Coalitions are about give and take, it’s not about taking over everything. So we are prepared to swallow our pride, and even give the enemy agents power, in order to get power somewhere and demonstrate how best the EFF can deliver to our people,” he said.

Malema said he hoped that coalition negotiations will be completed by Monday.

“There must be clarity. Our people can not hang for a long time. Either you are in, or you’re not in.”

ALSO READ: ActionSA used us for votes, say disgruntled members

Malema’s comments come after ActionSA said it rejected “a proposal” from the EFF to form coalitions in hung municipal councils.

Mashaba said his party’s senate met on Friday evening and “resolved to close the door on a proposal presented by the EFF”.

Mashaba did not specify which EFF proposal he was referring to.

ActionSA has made it clear that it would not enter into coalition arrangements with the ANC.

Speaking to Newzroom Afrika, Mashaba said the EFF wanted to bring the ANC in power through the backdoor in some of the municipalities ActionSA contested.

“The proposal was given to us by the EFF, when we looked at it, unfortunately, it brings the ANC through the backdoor and we felt really uncomfortable.

“We had to put it to the senate last night and the senate unanimously said no deal because we don’t want to be associated with the ANC,” Mashaba said.

Additional reporting by Thapelo Lekabe