Durban - DEMOTED EFF member Vusi Khoza says he will abide by the decision of the party’s top structure to remove him as an MP, following his failure to organise buses to transport members to the party’s birthday celebrations.
The former EFF KZN leader was one of the members banned from attending the party’s 10th anniversary celebrations at FNB Stadium in Gauteng in July as he had not organised transport for members and supporters.
On Sunday, EFF leader Julius Malema announced that 210 public representatives, including MPs, MPLs and councillors, who had failed to provide transport had been asked to resign, failing which they would face disciplinary action.
Khoza said that while the decision may seem harsh, he had accepted it as he was part of the meeting in February that decided on the criteria to be met by each public representative on the transport arrangements for the celebrations.
Khoza expressed his commitment to perform his tasks as a branch member and to drum up support for the EFF before next year’s elections.
He admitted to having failed at the task he had been given, adding that he would take the punishment like a disciplined party member.
“The fact is that the committee has exercised consequence management following my failure to meet the leadership’s expectations,” said Khoza.
He said organising buses to transport members and supporters had become a near impossible mission because it demanded a lot of money that was difficult to raise because of the poor socio-economic conditions of many people in his constituency.
“When you look at the area of uMgababa, people are struggling financially and business operators are mainly aligned to the governing party because of the contracts that they are able to secure, and so they would not sponsor the transportation of people to Gauteng, and that is why the effort failed.
“That said, the fact is that I had as much time as everyone else to organise, but failed,” Khoza said.
He dismissed suggestions that he would leave the party following the decision to remove him as an MP.
Khoza, who once served as an ANC councillor in eThekwini Municipality, has been one of the EFF’s leading figures in KZN, where he previously served as the party’s member of the provincial Legislature.
Political analyst Thabani Khumalo said Khoza’s demotion was an illustration of Malema’s leadership style, and what happened to anyone who failed to follow his command.
According to the analyst, while there could be opposition to Malema’s decision, it demonstrated decisive leadership, which he said was missing in the country’s political landscape.
“There are two sides in which the demotion could be viewed, and that could either be that of a principled leader who gives instructions and expects results, or a dictator who goes after those he may not agree with.”
He added that the move was foreign in many political parties where personal interests led to many leaders siding with factions.