Durban — EFF leader Julius Malema has backed former president Jacob Zuma and also lambasted President Cyril Ramaphosa for putting the country on autopilot while he took care of his private businesses.
Malema was delivering his closing address at the EFF provincial conference in KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday. He said the country had collapsed because the president had left his office to sell Ankole-Watusi (cattle) and buffaloes on his Phala Phala farm.
The EFF leader said what the president has done was unheard of because being a president of a country was full-time job, adding Ramaphosa had abdicated his duties.
“The country is on autopilot because the pilot, who is the president, is busy at his farm selling animals. Ramaphosa must explain that when he is busy at his farm who is running the country. Even if the investigation found that those dollars that were stolen were his he must still account for leaving the country with no leadership,” said Malema.
At the weekend, Zuma said it was a criminal activity to do private business while you were a country’s president. Ramaphosa was also attacked by former president Thabo Mbeki for the Phala Phala saga, suggesting that he could be found guilty by a panel that was set up to look into the affair and determine whether there were grounds for his impeachment.
The panel was given 30 days to finish its work. Should it be found that he has a case to answer, his campaign for the second term could be affected.
Malema also hinted at ending his party’s coalition with the IFP, urging party members to work hard to stop the IFP from taking power in KwaZulu-Natal in the 2024 general elections. Although no final decision has been taken, Malema said they cannot be led by the IFP, adding that their continuing winning of by-elections in the province was cause for concern. The party secretary-general Marshall Dlamini said talks between IFP and ANC continued but no conclusion had been reached.
Malema warned EFF members that the 2024 elections would be harder than any election since independent candidates would be running for positions in Parliament. He warned members to brace themselves for EFF members who after losing in the conference would contest as independent candidates. The EFF leader thanked Khoza’s leadership for the achievements under him.
The conference produced new leadership with Mongezi Thwala being elected the new provincial chairperson after defeating Vusi Khoza.
Umhlathuze Local Municipality deputy mayor Nkululeko Ngubane was elected as provincial secretary replacing Sifiso Mthethwa. The deputy chairperson position went to Thobisile Nkosi while Hlengiwe Chiliza was elected as deputy secretary. Chuma Wakeni got the treasurer position.
Daily News