By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Former ANC Military Veteran leader Carl Niehaus has abandoned his 10-month-old party, the African Radical Economic Transformation Alliance (Areta), to join the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
Niehaus announced this move during a virtual media briefing on Thursday, 14 December.
“We will join the EFF also in our capacity as individual members, starting with me as I am standing here today,” he said.
He urged Areta members to join the EFF as individual members.
Niehaus also called other parties such as the PAC, Azapo, APC, ATM, and the UDM, among others, to join forces with the EFF before the 2024 election.
Areta was formed in January after the former ANC spokesperson was slapped with a suspension notice from the ANC, pending disciplinary action after he allegedly brought the ANC into disrepute.
This is after the ruling party said it had more than once advised him that his public statements and social media posts were “unbecoming of someone in this high office”.
He registered the party with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) in April this year.
Niehaus also called on former president Jacob Zuma not to campaign for the African National Congress (ANC) ahead of the elections.