'Leave now!': Malema takes aim at EFF leaders
“Leave now!” was EFF president Julius Malema's message to party leaders who have been silent after the resignation of its deputy president Floyd Shivambu last week.
Shivambu's resignation has sent the party into a tailspin with speculation over who will resign next.
There has been a murmur that EFF leaders, including Mbuyiseni Ndlozi and advocate Dali Mpofu, could be on their way out.
Malema's speech at the Gauteng ground forces forum on Monday seemed to suggest that the party president had been aware of the rumours.
Speaking at the gathering attended by its Gauteng branches and provincial leaders, Malema said he had observed that party leaders who are ordinarily very vocal on social media had been silent on Shivambu's exit.
He said section six of the party's constitution demanded that those loyal to the organisation could not be silent when the party is under attack.
He said this section states that loyalty to the organisation means that at all times, members and leaders will not keep silent and be afraid but demand that members speak on behalf of the organisation.
“We must not bother ourselves about what our enemies are saying, but we must ask ourselves, why are those who say they are comrades silent? Why are those who are known and popular to be the most vocal on social media silent? Where are their voices when your movement is under attack? Where are those loud voices? Why do they not use their platforms to speak in defence of the EFF if they're truly loyal to that movement?”
He said the silence of those within the party leadership was palpable, adding that those closest to them were advancing their views.
Malema said that everyone needed to declare their confidence in the EFF, adding that those who chose to be silent during the attack were “silent enemies of our organisation”.
In what could be seen as shots at Ndlozi, Malema said there were some who had their own personal interest aiming for positions when the party holds its elective conference in December.
“You are too busy after other resignations, popularising certain people that they must take over, yet they are silent when people decide to abandon you. Why can't they choose you? Why do you keep on choosing the people who never choose you? When it is time for them to choose you, they are silent. They are choosing what looks like greener pastures. Many of them are opportunists because they want to see whether they will emerge in the upcoming third people's assembly before they decide whether they will remain in the EFF or not.”
Ndlozi has been touted for the position of secretary-general. EWN reported that the student command was lobbying for Ndlozi to replace incumbent Marshall Dlamini.
“Many of them are using the third people's assembly as a threat. If they do not get elected or are part of the leadership discussions, then they will leave and join the MK Party. We must never be blackmailed by those who want to threaten us with leaving after the third people's assembly. I want to say to them, leave now so that we can know how many soldiers [the party has]. You must leave today because nothing is going to change now ... Leave now, we have no reason to beg anyone. If you want to leave now ... even if we are alone, we will still speak truth to power.”
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