Emotions run high at EFF conference

16 December 2014 - 11:05 By Sapa
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An EFF supporter donning a beret with the EFF logo.
An EFF supporter donning a beret with the EFF logo.
Image: Foto24 / Mary-Ann Palmer/ Gallo Images

Emotions ran high on Monday evening when the Economic Freedom Fighters' national peoples assembly nominated additional members to the party's command team.

Member of Parliament Andile Mngxitima was nominated at the congress, held at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, but declined.

He walked to the microphone and softly gave his reasons.

"Comrade president, please protect this movement. Initially I was going to accept but my revolutionary conscience will not allow me to accept," he said and turned away.

Delegates from Gauteng clapped and ululated. They started singing "lento e uyenzayo a I lunganga" (what you're doing is not right).

The development followed various complaints by delegates that people were given names of who to elect.

Party leader Julius Malema however dismissed the complaints and told the delegates to write to the steering committee.

"If they feel strongly about the concern, they will bring it to the attention of the conference," Malema said.

The list contained the names of all the people finalised and endorsed by provinces.

Gauteng was the most vocal in its rejection of the list. The majority of the delegates did not participate in voting to endorse candidates.

 

 

GAUTENG DELEGATES DISRUPT NOMINATION CONFERENCE - Sapa

EFF delegates from Gauteng on Monday briefly disrupted the Economic Freedom Fighters' national people's assembly to nominate additional members to the party's command team.

The previously disciplined conference at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein was thrown into disarray as the Gauteng delegates stood up and sang "yinto wenzayo... ayi lunganga" meaning "what you're doing is wrong", during the nomination process.

One delegate from KwaZulu-Natal was told to sit as he tried to raise his dissatisfaction with the proceedings.

Gauteng delegates then broke into song.

Party leader Julius Malema appealed to Gauteng provincial leadership to control the delegates' behaviour.

"Comrades from Gauteng please... we are pleading with leadership to control delegates," he said as the members continued to sing.

They broke into laughter when he told them everyone would get a chance to nominate a candidate.

"You're laughing and continue to sing... I don't know if you want this conference to stop," he said.

Some delegates were in possession of typed lists of 35 members, titled "EFF CCT additional members finalised and endorsed by all Provinces". Delegates wrote notes next to the names as candidates on the list were called to accept or decline nominations.

One of Gauteng leaders, Andile Mngxitama became emotional as he approached the microphone to decline his nomination.

"Comrade president, protect this movement. I spoke to fighters and was going to accept, but my revolutionary conscience cannot allow me to accept the nomination," he said to loud applause from fellow Gauteng members.

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