EFF U-turn on luxuries

ECONOMIC Freedom Fighters MPs will continue enjoying the perks that come with being parliamentarians, despite their public campaigns opposing such benefits for politicians.

At a media conference yesterday, EFF leader Julius Malema said despite his party's stance that public representatives should use public services, and perks for MPs such as state houses and medical aid should be cut, his party's MPs would continue enjoying such luxuries.

"If we come into parliament where houses are being provided for members of parliament and then we decide not to go and stay in those houses, [that would be] wasteful expenditure because there would be empty houses unoccupied by members of EFF even when government has paid," Malema said.

"That would be irresponsible."

The party took to public platforms during the election campaign, calling for the government to stop providing houses and other perks to MPs at taxpayers' expense and called for public representatives to be forced to use public services like schools and hospitals.

But soon after the election, the party sang a different tune, instead saying they would be advocating for a cut in perks and would not be forcing their members to decline the luxuries that come on top of their more than R900000 annual salaries.

"What we are saying in a motion which we will put in parliament is that, sell those houses and take the money to the needy people of Khayelitsha and then let every member of parliament buy his or her own house," Malema said.

Until the amendments forcing politicians to use public services were in place they would not be forcing "fellow fighters" and their family members to go to state hospitals because sending someone to a public hospital was similar to sending them to a mortuary, he said.

"We are saying we are ready to abandon these benefits, we are not here for benefits, but for as long as they are there, we will use them because there have been allocations for such."

Malema attacked President Jacob Zuma's cabinet, saying had the EFF been in government, it would only have 22 ministries as opposed to 35.

He then took a swipe at the newly appointed Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Senzeni Zokwana and his deputy Bheki Cele, saying they were appointed as a reward for being loyal to Zuma and were a bad combination for the department.

"Imagine him and Bheki Cele in Agriculture, what are they going to do? Cele is going to shoot and kill fish?"

Malema said revelations that Zokwana paid his worker R26 a day proved he never had the interests of the working class at heart.

He said the EFF leadership had decided on the following candidates to serve in parliament:

• Parliamentary leader: Julius Malema.
• Chief whip: Floyd Shivambu.
• Whip: Hlengiwe Hlophe; and‚
• Whip: Godrich Gardee.