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Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema says that his party is considering contesting for the mayoral position in Johannesburg and says that EFF leadership must see themselves in municipal leaderships.
“I get worried that every time there is a position available in the municipality people talk about the DA and ANC but not about the EFF, yet we have said we are ready to govern,” said Malema, while leading the media on a site visit of Nasrec on Monday where the party will hold its second national people’s assembly in December.
“I don’t want us to reduce the debate into DA and ANC. I want to propose that the EFF must contest. Everybody is fielding their own candidates, why can’t we field our own candidates?” he asked.
Malema added that former Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba was well-liked by the EFF because he had cooperated with the party on certain issues, including the insourcing of workers.
EFF second-in-command Floyd Shivambu referred to him as “our mayor” following his announcement that he would be stepping down on November 27.
Malema said the continuation of the insourcing started under Mashaba’s term was still on the EFF’s agenda.
“We want to insource all workers. We don’t want people to win tenders,” he said.
He made reference to a report by investigative journalists Amabhungane that said that outsourcing led to an irregular fleet contract tender worth R1.2 million.
“Currently there is an issue of Afrirent because of outsourcing. To avoid speculations of bribes, let us build state capacity to insource,” Malema said.
When speaking about the conference, Malema reiterated that every position in the EFF would be contested. This will be done through delegates who were selected in branches.
“All members of the EFF are available to take up the leadership positions. We are available but we may not be available for all positions [due to issues of] capacity,” Malema said.
Malema warned EFF members who were not delegates to not to attend the conference because that would be “undermining processes followed in electing delegates”.
The party’s national chairperson, Dali Mpofu, took the opportunity to dispute weekend reports that there was factional fighting within the EFF and that he would be contesting elections.
City Press reported on a video that showed Mpumalanga chairperson Collen Sedibe telling branch members that the red berets’ upcoming elective conference at Nasrec was just a formality, and that the position of the national chairperson would be given to MP Veronica Mente, who would replace Mpofu.
Read: Malema, Shivambu to stay but rest of EFF leadership will bite the dust
“We have no factions. There will never be factions in this party,” Mpofu said.
This follows reports that there are those within the EFF who are opposed to leader Julius Malema.
Meanwhile the ANC has also positioned itself to take advantage of the DA’s meltdown following the resignation of Mashaba.
ANC Johannesburg spokesperson Jolidee Matongo told City Press last week that it was working hard to woo the DA’s coalition partners away from its cooperation agreement and had managed to entice the African Independent Congress and Al Jama-ah.
Read: ANC’s big effort to reclaim Joburg from DA
IFP national spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa also confirmed to City Press its wish to reconcile with the ANC.
The DA has several people in mind to succeed Mashaba, including DA member of the Gauteng provincial legislature Makashule Gana and Johannesburg member of the mayoral committee Funzi Ngobeni.
Internal DA nominations for the position close on Thursday.
