Johnathan Paoli
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has said his party would stand by the Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) party among other radical parties in order to sustain an effective opposition against the Government of National Unity (GNU).
Malema was addressing the party’s 11th birthday rally at the AR Abass Sports Ground in Kimberly, Northern Cape on Saturday.
The EFF Commander-in-Chief said over the past eleven years, the EFF made a profound impact on the lives of the people.
“We have changed the political landscape of South Africa, bringing issues of land, economic justice, and true liberation to the forefront,” Malema said.
Malema reiterated the party line and said the EFF will never form part of the GNU or any coalition that involves the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Freedom Front Plus (FF+).
“We will never be part of a GNU that has got the DA and FF+. We will not sit at the same dinner table as the people who killed Chris Hani,” he said.
The party’s drop in support at the national and provincial elections, is largely attributed to the rise of the MK party, which took voters from the EFF, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.
The CIC stressed the importance of maintaining unity within the party and said factionalism would not be tolerated.
Secretary-General Marshall Dlamini said the party would attempt to utilise the celebrations as a moment to reflect on its performance in the national and provincial elections in May this year.
Dlamini said the party would focus on recovery going forward, especially in areas where it did not perform well.
“It’s been a journey with its ups and downs. In the May 29 elections, there were areas that we were not happy with, especially our performance in KZN. There was a drop. But that’s what happens when you’re an organisation. You get tested. You’ll never have a history that is just smooth running,” Dlamini said.
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