Julius Malema Sets Conditions for EFF Joining GNU, Says DA and FF Plus Must Leave First
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has said the party would be willing to join the Government of National Unity (GNU) if the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Freedom Front Plus (FF+) withdrew, but would not compromise its political principles to enter government.
We are not opposed to participating in GNU. If Helen walks tomorrow, and that other one of Correctional Service, the Freedom Front, walk, we’ll go inside.
His comments come after African National Congress (ANC) Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula said the party may need to review its relationship with the DA, following the latter’s support for the Electoral Commission of South Africa’s (IEC) opposition to the ANC’s bid to reinstate 181 disqualified councillor candidates, ahead of the local government elections.
Malema was speaking on Sunday in Soweto after conducting a door-to-door campaign ahead of the 4 November local government elections.
The dispute has added to tensions between the two parties, which are both part of the GNU, as political parties campaign ahead of the November 4 local government elections. Malema’s remarks also followed comments by DA Johannesburg mayoral candidate Helen Zille, who said she would not enter a coalition with the EFF.
Malema said the EFF would not support a GNU that included parties he associated with the killing of liberation struggle figures Chris Hani and Solomon Mahlangu.
We don’t want a GNU that has got murders in it.
Malema accused Zille of hostility towards the EFF, claiming the party’s independence from white political influence was behind the DA’s refusal to work with it. He also rejected claims that the EFF was unsuitable for coalition government because of its political conduct, pointing to the ANC’s own governance challenges.
Malema said the EFF was focused on winning the elections rather than speculating about possible coalition arrangements in metropolitan municipalities.
Well, we go to elections to win.