Lerato Mbhiza
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula has claimed that he welcomed more than 50 expelled EFF members back into the party after Julius Malema fired some of his public representatives for failing to organise transport for supporters to the party’s 10th anniversary rally.
However, footage circulating on social media shows a group of youth being given EFF T-shirts out of a white BMW and getting into the Wedela Community Hall, Mogale City, before Mbalula spoke.
Then the same people take off the EFF T-shirts and are given ANC T-shirts by Mbalula.
Mbalula said the ANC is strengthened by the presence of the EFF members adding that there are many members of the Red Berets who have left their political home and who will be joining the ANC.
“And we are telling them that we welcome you with open hands, you will not be judged here in the ANC and we appreciate the fact that on their own volition they chose to come back home and they’ve got their reasons why they do so.
“You have given us political reasons today why you’re coming back to the ANC. Other people when they’re leaving political parties, they’re bitter, but you’re not bitter.
“There are many people in the EFF who are coming back to the ANC and we’re welcoming you back with open hands. Come and work for your party and the people of South Africa and we welcome that.
“Those who want to get rid of our social transformation interventions are on a mission of bribing ANC veterans so they also join them in their efforts.
“We will not burn these T-shirts, we’ll take them to Malema and he’ll see what he can do with them − whether they clean them or keep them. We also want to tell those who want to come back to the ANC that they’re most welcome.”
On the appointment of the new Eskom CEO Dan Marokane, Mbalula said the ANC supports the “well-traveled executive” for the job.
“Dan Marokane is a well-traveled executive and he worked at Eskom for the longest time and we want to express our support for him to do his job because he has got experience and he knows Eskom and that’s what’s important for us. Rather than just taking a nobody like we have seen who knows nothing about the workings inside Eskom.”
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