A thunderous storm has erupted within the ranks of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), as party leader Julius Malema unleashed a blistering attack on his former deputy, Floyd Shivambu, the MK Party, and any potential defectors, declaring a full-scale war on those who dare to leave the red berets.
In a fiery, nearly two-hour monologue delivered to a packed gathering of EFF ground forces in Orlando, Soweto, Malema spared no punches, laying bare his bitter disappointment and anger at the recent departure of Shivambu and the perceived threat of further defections.
"Those who want to leave must do so immediately. Leave now and leave us alone," Malema thundered, his voice echoing with a mix of pain and defiance.
"We have no reason to beg anyone. If you want to leave, leave now. We will always continue to speak truth to power."
The EFF president, clearly wounded by Shivambu's departure, painted a picture of betrayal and opportunism, accusing those who are considering leaving the party of using the upcoming third national people's assembly in December as a bargaining chip to secure positions of power.
"Many of them are opportunistic because they want to see whether they will emerge in the upcoming third national people's assembly before they decide whether they will remain in the EFF or not. Many of them are using the third national people's assembly as a threat that if they are not elected or are not part of the leadership discussions then they will leave and join the MK Party," Malema charged.
He accused these individuals of being willing to "sacrifice their principles in exchange for blue lights," and of using the EFF as a stepping stone to personal gain.
"We do not need people who are willing to sacrifice their principles in exchange for blue lights. Those who use the EFF as a stepladder to get positions must be isolated," he declared, his voice rising in anger.
Malema's impassioned speech was punctuated by chants of "Makuliwe!" (loosely meaning "let's go to war") and "Juju! Juju! Juju!" from his fervent supporters. With clenched fists raised high, they rallied behind their leader, demonstrating their unwavering loyalty and commitment to the EFF's cause.
The fallout between Malema and Shivambu, who had been close allies since the EFF's inception, has sent shockwaves through the party and the political landscape. Speculation has been rife about the reasons behind Shivambu's departure, with reports suggesting that a power struggle and allegations of financial impropriety played a significant role.
According to Citypress, Shivambu was approached by a group of wealthy businesspeople who allegedly promised him a lot of money to fund his campaign to contest Malema at the party’s elective congress in December. Shivambu had allegedly agreed to accept the offer, triggering a dramatic escalation of tensions between the two former comrades.
The Sunday Times reported at the weekend that Shivambu left the EFF because he was allegedly stabbed in the back by Malema during the government of national unity (GNU) talks. The report claims that Shivambu was deeply resentful after discovering that Malema had sabotaged the EFF's prospects of joining the GNU, a move that would have seen Shivambu appointed as deputy finance minister.
Adding fuel to the fire, Shivambu was reportedly further aggrieved when he learned that Malema had made direct contact with President Cyril Ramaphosa to demand the position of second deputy president for himself and the deputy speakership for another party member, while he, Shivambu, was still in separate talks with ANC negotiators over a role for the EFF in the GNU.
Malema, however, vehemently denied these allegations, stating that he was not involved in the GNU negotiations and that he had never asked for any position from Ramaphosa.
"I was never in the negotiations for the GNU. The SG [secretary-general] was there, the TG [treasury-general] was there …. I was called by the TG when the negotiation collapsed; she asked me to come and apply my skills," Malema said.
"I was the first person to say we must join the GNU, and I spoke about it publicly. The only difference I had was that I said I would not join if the DA and FF Plus are there. There was never any position offered. I am saying this in public and [ANC secretary-general Fikile] Mbalula can contradict this. I have never asked for any position from Ramaphosa," he added.
Despite the escalating tensions, Malema insists that the EFF is united and strong, and that it will not be deterred from its mission to fight for economic justice and social equality.
"It is now time to build an iron wall in defence of our movement as we confront not only our historical enemy, but those among us who wish to see the death of this revolutionary movement. We must unite and close ranks against anyone who might want to use our [national people's assembly] as a tool to infiltrate the EFF," he said.
The EFF, Malema declared, has never "wronged anyone" and that those who have left have never challenged his leadership.
"There is nothing wrong we have done to anyone, we have not wronged anyone internally and externally. Those who have left have never said 'create space for us to ascend into power so that we too can lead'; they have never, through their factional grouping or individual courage," he said.
"If they were brave, they were supposed to take the platform internally. No one said: 'You cannot be president forever, at some point I must be president.'"
Malema's defiant words may have temporarily quelled the storm within the EFF, but the party's future remains uncertain.
