South Africa’s populist firebrand Julius Malema has lashed out at his outdated rival Jacob Zuma as a “again stabber”, as he sought to scotch hypothesis that his leftist motion may quickly merge with the previous president’s upstart celebration.
Malema, whose Financial Freedom Fighters marked him out as the unconventional agitator of the nation’s opposition, has been rattled by plenty of latest defections to Zuma’s one-year-old political celebration, which defied expectations to win practically 15 per cent in Might’s election.
Chatting with the Monetary Occasions, Malema dismissed the thought of coming along with Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) to unite the unconventional opposition, though each events champion stripping land from whites with out cost, and nationalising mines and banks. The ruling African Nationwide Congress, which was compelled to enter a coalition with the Democratic Alliance after its vote tumbled to shut to 40 per cent, is now more and more centrist.
“To work with President Zuma is to stab your self within the again as a result of he’s not sincere,” he mentioned. “I really feel sorry for many who left the EFF pondering they will outmanoeuvre him [in search of] greener pastures. When he’s performed with them, he’s going to dump them,” he mentioned, in an assault laced with vulgar and sexual language.
EFF co-founder Floyd Shivambu and chair Dali Mpofu have not too long ago decamped to MK. Shivambu mentioned final week that the defectors discovered a “superior various” in Zuma’s celebration, somewhat than “small unviable fiefdoms that have gotten no potential”.
Malema mentioned these leaving his celebration wished to “assassinate” the EFF. “Leaders have been assassinated earlier than by those that are near them.”
He mentioned MK’s insurance policies weren’t “leftist”, including that the celebration was “benefiting from a racially polarised society to create the impression it’s on the aspect of the oppressed”.
MK celebrated its first birthday this weekend, however its temporary tenure has been chaotic. The celebration axed 18 of its personal MPs inside a month of them being sworn into parliament, in addition to its co-founder Jabulani Khumalo.
Zuma, who led the ANC from 2007 and was the nation’s president from 2009-18, was final month completely expelled from it for his “direct assault” in beginning a rival celebration.
Malema, one other ANC outcast, mentioned those that left the EFF to affix MK could be overlooked within the chilly, identical to those that helped Zuma face up to inside opposition and a collection of corruption allegations on his ascent to the highest of the ruling celebration.
“Give me an instance of those that have been near Zuma and supported him throughout his corruption trial, and present me one who’s near him as we speak. I don’t know why these comrades can’t study,” he mentioned.
For its half, MK mentioned Malema’s flat rejection of a merger between the 2 events is untimely.
“By no means say by no means,” chair Nathi Nhleko instructed the FT. “That view has not been subjected to a take a look at, and the take a look at on this occasion is time.”
Nhleko mentioned there was a lot commonalty between the events, together with the truth that they each consider the grand coalition authorities — shaped of the ANC, Democratic Alliance and eight different events — was not the reply to the nation’s issues.
“A authorities of nationwide unity is a disguise for a coalition between the ANC and the DA. However policy-wise, there isn’t a frequent set of ideas and values,” he mentioned. “That authorities doesn’t tackle the difficulty of Blacks being on the lowest rung of the social and financial ladder.”
Nhleko mentioned the celebration’s trajectory since its inception is unprecedented. “It tells you concerning the temper within the nation,” he mentioned.
Nonetheless, critics have attributed the defections from the EFF partly to Malema’s dictatorial management fashion. The EFF will maintain its new spherical of elections within the subsequent week, and Malema, who has been its chief for the reason that celebration was based in 2013, is about to maintain that position.
Malema mentioned if his “dictatorial fashion” was the rationale folks left the EFF for Zuma, it could be like “leaving a cheater in a wedding for a polygamist”.
“Ask any of those that left which celebration has the most effective inside democratic practices. In MK, there isn’t a such factor. My view is likely to be dominant, however on the finish of the day, we’ve got inside processes to elect the management,” he mentioned.
Ralph Mathekga, a political analyst, mentioned the EFF and MK lean closely on their two leaders’ charisma.
“You’ll be able to name Zuma’s celebration leftist, however its precise ideology is secondary to the truth that its major attribute is that it’s a nationalist celebration primarily based round Zuma and his grievance with the ANC,” he mentioned.
Mathekga mentioned MK’s surge has additionally hinged on robust ethnic help amongst Zulu audio system in a single province, Kwazulu-Natal, and the take a look at is whether or not that may translate into nationwide backing.
“MK will battle, and in the long run, it might face the identical diminished relevance that the EFF is battling to reverse now,” he mentioned.
Mathekga mentioned neither celebration had demonstrated the temperament to control, optimistically positioning themselves for a radical correction within the political system.
“These are anti-establishment events that haven’t proven any inclination to control democratically,” he mentioned.
