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.

Malema was speaking on Sunday in Soweto after conducting a door-to-door campaign ahead of the 4 November local government elections. His remarks 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. 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.

The dispute has added to tensions between the parties, which are both part of the GNU, as political parties campaign ahead of the November 4 local government elections. Malema insisted that the party is going into the elections to win rather than speculating about possible coalition arrangements.