By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema still determined to see citizens’ freedom through economic freedom and added that the party’s policies were friendly for business, despite its opponents claims to the contrary.
Malema spoke at the party’s 10th-anniversary gala dinner at Emperors Palace Hotel in Kempton Park on Thursday evening.
The gala dinner was attended by Marikana massacre widows, students from the writing competition, families of party leaders, and guests who bought tickets.
Malema spoke broadly about the founding days of the EFF and the difficulties he and his deputy Floyd Shivambu faced after their expulsion from the ANC.
“Not a single day did I feel that Floyd is in the business of trying to betray me. He has never shown me any sign of disrespect.
“He has always shown maximum respect to me and always expressed his views to me in a respectful manner. There has never been a day where I thought me and Floyd will not see each other the following day.
“We have always looked forward to seeing each other, to exchange ideas robustly.
“But there’s something boring about him. Every time we drink, he waits until he gets sharp and then isolates me to a corner and wants to sharpen some ideas. He believes I didn’t hear properly, and that time I’m focused on dancing, even when I don’t know how to dance,” jokes Malema.
“We complement each other, we are not in competition with each other. I have made it clear to Floyd, ‘The day you get tired of me, don’t go and organise against me, just tell me, ‘I think you have served your term, it is time to go’.
“I will leave without putting up a fight because I will know it is friendly fire and it comes from a good place.”
Malema said the problem starts when people start organising against him behind his back.
“I am very ruthless against such people who do such things against me, so never try that with me.
“And he knows that because I have never lost a conference in my entire life and no one I have supported has ever lost a conference.
“I am very ruthless to people who organise things against me.”
Malema added that he also doesn’t conspire against his colleagues.
” I don’t play games and I do so without hesitation, I tell you in the face a war has been declared, let’s fight. I am not a coward, I don’t conspire against those I work with.”
Among the guests at the event, where it cost up to R1.2 million to run shoulders with Malema, was controversial tobacco tycoon Adriano Mazzotti and his business partner, Mohamed Sayed.
Mazzotti was not only a guest at the EFF’s gala dinner but was honoured by Malema in his speech when the EFF leader praised him for helping to fund the EFF’s first election contestation after its founding in 2013.
His opening remarks were dedicated to Mazzotti, who he called a brother who helped fund the EFF at the time of its founding.
Malema said he and Shivambu had no idea how they would fund the party, but Mazzotti helped rescue them by paying for their first registration as a party.
Mazzotti has had a close relationship with Malema for years.
The EFF leader said Mazzotti had never been arrested, and he and the EFF had no interest in what Mazzotti or any other did to make money.
“When the IEC (electoral commission) asked us for money and Floyd had nothing, we looked each other in the eyes and asked, what is going to happen.They asked for R650 000 at that time, and we had no means. We were later told through a telephone call from Mazzotti that ‘brother, the money is paid.’
“That is how the EFF was allowed to contest the first elections. We are not afraid to be associated with Mazzotti. We do not know his business because he is not our business partner; he donated money to the EFF like all of you here,” Malema said.
Among the high-profile figures also at the gala dinner were UDM leader Bantu Holomisa and suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane. Former president Jacob Zuma’s former lawyer, Daniel Mantsha, and former Transnet CEO, Siyabona Gama, were also present.
Guests were treated to a three-course meal and made toasts with bottles of Moët & Chandon.
Malema’s remarks come just a day after the party published names of some 400 public representatives who failed to arrange transport for members who wanted to attend the party’s birthday rally.
The public representatives have also been banned from attending the celebrations.
The party is hosting an event with the diplomatic community at the Sheraton Hotel in Pretoria on Friday morning, while the big celebration are set to take place at FNB Stadium on Saturday.
Watch Live in the video below:
Video Courtesy of EFFSA.