By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) regional leaders who fail to sell gala dinner tickets and fill hundreds of buses for the party’s 10th birthday celebration will be publicly shamed and banned from attending its rally.
Malema briefed the media on Thursday at Uncle Tom Community Hall in Soweto ahead of the party’s 10th-anniversary rally at FNB Stadium.
The party held various celebrations in a build-up to the main events including donations to orphanages, the launch of a stage play Leruo, art exhibitions and a music album.
Malema said the anniversary rally will be an occasion to be celebrated by all sectors of society.
At the same time, he warned the party’s public representatives who fail to heed the transport directive will not be allowed to attend the rally.
Action will also be taken against them after the rally.
“On the 1st of January 2023, the EFF gave a directive to all its public representatives from councillors, members of the provincial legislatures and members of parliament to arrange transportation for their constituencies to attend the 10th anniversary rally.
“This directive was given to ensure that public representatives bring those that they claim to represent to the celebration of the EFF and to ensure that the people of South Africa from all walks of life are part of this event.
“We commend all those who have complied with the organisational directive without fail, all those public representatives who failed to comply, including members of the central command and war council of the EFF, are prohibited from attending the birthday celebration at the FNB Stadium.”
He says the party had initially expected 3258 buses from representatives throughout the party’s nine provinces, but only 1324 buses have been confirmed.
“The EFF will publish the names of the representatives who are banished from attending on Tuesday.
“Action will be taken against them immediately after the rally irrespective of the position they hold in the public and the EFF,” added Malema.
The party will also host a gala dinner at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg two days before the main event.
“All officials of the EFF, central command team members, members of parliament, and members of the provincial legislatures are expected to sell tickets to the gala dinner. If they fail, their names will be published to the public,” said Malema.
Malema has also warned the ANC in Ekurhuleni that his party will not turn a blind eye to any form of corruption by members of the governing party.
Malema’s remarks come after the governing party’s acting regional chairperson Jongizizwe Dlabathi wrote a letter to ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, asking for a re-evaluation of its relationship with the EFF.
The two parties have five mayoral committee posts each in Ekurhuleni, which were appointed following the election of African Independent Congress (AIC) councillor Sivuyile Ngodwana as mayor in April.
This was said to be a test to see if the two parties could work together after the 2024 national elections.
But the ANC and EFF have already been involved in a public spat over missing waste collection trucks in Ekurhuleni.
At the same time, Malema has denied that his party has signed any form of coalition agreement with the ANC, arguing that they have no relationship but vote together on service delivery matters or for candidates they believe in.
Malema lamented his party’s exclusion from a pre-Brics event is down to “political jealousy” as questions remain on whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend the main summit next month.
The ANC will host a Brics Political Parties Forum, with a number of international political parties set to attend the event scheduled later this month.
The forum, which take place from July 18 to 20, is expected discuss the Russia-Ukraine conflict amongst other global matters.
While the ANC’s alliance partners – the South African Communist Party (SACP) and Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) – will also participate, no opposition party have reportedly been invited to the geopolitical event including the EFF.
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Video Courtesy of EFFSA.