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Malema, Shivambu to stay but rest of EFF leadership will bite the dust

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Some members are not happy that leadership decisions have been made before conference

A picture is beginning to emerge of a new EFF leadership that will keep leader Julius Malema and his deputy Floyd Shivambu in place but the rest of the top six will bite the dust.

Some EFF members are concerned that the elective conference scheduled for December 13 to 17 at Nasrec, Johannesburg, could be reduced to a rubber-stamp affair where the positions of the central command teams (CCT) have already been decided on.

In a video seen by City Press, influential Mpumalanga chairperson Collen Sedibe can be heard telling branch members that the red berets’ upcoming elective conference at Nasrec is just a formality.

“The decision [on leadership] was accepted by all nine provinces and 53 regions. The treasurer-general [Leigh-Ann Mathys] voluntarily declined to contest because of many personal reasons. We concurred to the name from North West of Omphile Maotwe – she must be the treasurer-general.”

Sedibe described Maotwe as a very competent member who had raised funds for the organisation when it was struggling.

“We cannot work with people who procrastinate,” Sedibe can be heard saying.

Sedibe said it was a given that Malema and deputy president Shivambu would retain their positions.

He said the position of the national chairperson would be given to MP Veronica Mente who would replace Dali Mpofu.

May 05.2019. EFF supporters at the partys Tshela T
Dali Mpofu. Picture: Tebogo Letsie/City Press

The position of the secretary-general is believed to be already set aside for Marshall Dlamini to replace Godrich Gardee.

The position of deputy secretary-general will be given to Poppy Mailola from Mpumalanga, who will replace Hlengiwe Hlophe.

Sedibe is also heard on the video conceding that this year’s conference would be different in that the decisions made would be gender-friendly and there would be a gender balance in the party’s leadership, compared with now when there are only two women and four males.

The proposed names would ensure a 50-50 balance.

“On the secretary-general position, North West is bringing in the treasurer-general and then they said we can fit in either the national chairperson or the deputy secretary-general. Remember the principle is that there must be a gender balance, three out of three not like now when it’s four out of two; we are fixing that now, we must take these matters seriously,” Sedibe said.

City Press reported last week that Sedibe had said Mpofu should not be retained as national chairperson.

He said Mpofu had won a number of cases for ANC people in court, but was unable to do the same for EFF, because “if he represented the EFF, it would be a conflict of interest”.

Sedibe said that resulted in the EFF losing cases.

“For example, the reason Supra Mahumapelo won a case in the North West is Dali [Mpofu]. The reason the faction of Senzo Mchunu won in KwaZulu-Natal is Dali. Free State is Dali. All the ANC battles it is Dali who won them. But by law he can’t represent the EFF.”

He mentioned this at a branch meeting, during a selection of delegates meeting in Mpumalanga.

We find it very ironic that our leaders will be left in high positions when they have a cloud of corruption hanging over them.

City Press has been reliably told that some EFF Mpumalanga members, including provincial legislature committee member Gcina Mofokeng, boycotted the branch meeting in which Sedibe was recorded because they disagreed with the leadership decisions being taken prior to the conference.

When reached for comment Mofokeng declined, saying: “I cannot comment because I am a nobody, try the spokesperson [Mbuyiseni Ndlozi] because I’m not allowed to speak to the media.”

Read: EFF leader makes case for Dali Mpofu to quit as national chairperson

Party members who spoke to City Press on condition of anonymity expressed disquiet that Malema and Shivambu would retain their positions despite being linked to scandals, such as the VBS Mutual Bank and Johannesburg fleet tender.

“We find it very ironic that our leaders will be left in high positions when they have a cloud of corruption hanging over them.

“There has to be new leadership introduced so we can move forward as a party. It would be better if we could have advocate Mpofu leading the party instead,” they said.

EFF spokesperson Ndlozi declined to comment on the leadership discussions.

“It is against the EFF law to discuss leadership with and through the media.”

According to the published National Assembly guidelines, only delegates chosen in the branches are allowed to vote for positions.

“Only voting delegates representing branches, regional, provincial and central command teams have the right to nominate and vote in National People’s Assemblies,” the guidelines read.

In addition the guidelines say: “In nominating for the CCT, 30% of the voting delegates in a National People’s Assembly (NPA) should support the name/individual nominated for the name/individual to be included on ballot paper, and this should be determined by a show of hands and without announcing the results to the NPA.” The guidelines confirm that the electoral commission will monitor the process and be responsible for counting the votes.

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What do you make of the impending changes to the leadership of the EFF? What do you make of Shivambu and Malema staying even though they face allegations of corruption?

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