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 (Zille) walks tomorrow, and that other one of Correctional Services, the Freedom Front, (Pieter) Groenewald, walk, we’ll go inside.

Malema made the remarks during a door-to-door election campaign in Naledi, Soweto, as parties intensify efforts ahead of the 4 November local government elections. He insisted that the EFF is going into the elections to win rather than speculating about coalition arrangements.

Malema also rejected claims that the EFF was unsuitable for coalition government because of its political conduct, pointing to the ANC’s own governance challenges. He further stated that the EFF would not support a GNU that included parties he associated with the killing of liberation struggle figures Chris Hani and Solomon Mahlangu.