LISTEN | 'MKP our biggest enemy': Malema worked up by ‘hater’ Jacob Zuma and his MK Party

EFF leader Julius Malema says the MK Party has made it its mission to recruit leaders of his party and that the EFF has barred the rival party from taking part in an EFF march on Tuesday.

The EFF's march aims to hold President Cyril Ramaphosa accountable over the controversial Phala Phala scandal after the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) decision not to prosecute Ramaphosa or others involved in the matter.

When Malema addressed the media on Monday, many of the questions from journalists related to the exodus of prominent leaders from the party and its relationship with the MK Party and Jacob Zuma.

The first question was: “Set the record straight: is Mbuyiseni Ndlozi barred from attending the national people’s assembly?”

Malema dismissed the speculation: “I don’t know what you want me to answer on Ndlozi, because I never said anything on Ndlozi. So do not bring your shebeen gossip to glorify some toilet discussion, I’m not part of that, [the] EFF has never said anything. If we’ve got something to tell you we’ll communicate it. We don’t know what you are talking about.”

Listen to Malema:

Some prominent party members have left to join Zuma’s MK Party. Zuma told Sunday Times last week he’d be elated if other EFF members joined his party.

“Me and President Zuma, we’re very good [in terms of our relationship]. The same me and Ramaphosa, we’re very good. If it is the truth it must be told: President Zuma is corrupt — the public protector found him to be wrong, he rejected that. We took him to court. That’s why he had to pay some monies back in relation to Nkandla. So what is misleading about that?

“We have no relationship with MKP — even worse now when MKP has made it its programme to recruit leaders of the EFF. Tomorrow we are marching to the Constitutional Court with everyone except MKP. If they want to march they must organise their own. And ANC can’t join us.”

Zuma described Malema to the Sunday Times as his friend that he loves.

“I can go have tea with him, but I don’t agree with him ... I’m not a pushover and I’m not going to allow anyone to push me over because we have some relationship. What would I be begging from Zuma?”

In the aftermath of several key exits from the EFF, including high-profile figures like former party deputy president Floyd Shivambu, former public protector and EFF MP Busisiwe Mkhwebane and prominent advocate Dali Mpofu, Malema said he is not anticipating more members leaving the party.

“We have been civil with Zuma and MKP. But now, any lies they tell, we will take them head-on,” Malema declared. He urged EFF supporters to confront MK on social media, calling them “criminals. “As they come, go for them. Don’t even apologise.”

He also opened up about a past meeting he had with Zuma, explaining that he agreed to sit down with his political adversary, who he referred to as a “hater”, to help de-escalate tensions and avoid violence in the country before the 2021 July unrest. “For the love of my country, I sat with him, despite our differences,” Malema said, adding, “I don’t agree with him, but that doesn’t mean we can’t talk.”

The EFF will hold its elective conference from December 12 to 15 at Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg, while the MK Party will host its first year anniversary celebration at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on December 15.

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