Expelled EFF MPs vow to keep seats

Three MPs who were fired from Julius Malema's EFF last week vowed not to vacate their seats until their issues are resolved in court.

Andile Mngxitama, Mpho Ramakatsa and Khanyisile Litchfield-Tshabalala were expelled from the party last week following a disciplinary process headed by party chairman and lawyer Dali Mpofu.

Mpofu said Mngxitama, Ramakatsa and Litchfield-Tshabalala would lose their seats in the National Assembly.

But a defiant Mngxitama said the three "will continue doing our work".

"We are still members of parliament and nothing changes. We will attend parliament," he said.

Prior to the EFF hauling the three through a disciplinary process, they went to court to challenge the outcome of an elective party conference which had left them out of a new leadership structure.

The date for that case has yet to be set.

Mngxitama said it was "ironic" that the EFF announced the results of the disciplinary process soon after it had requested a court postponement.

"We have no reason to give the process legitimacy by recognising it. Our view is that it is a kangaroo court," he said.

He said the disciplinary process had ignored key issues relating to their fight with the party.

"We note that the disciplinary committee avoided pronouncing on the real issues underlying this whole saga - the fact that the leaders of the EFF have imposed a convicted murderer, Papiki Babuile, on the organisation in the North West province.

"It's a sad day that Advocate Dali Mpofu has chosen to let his good name and credibility be used to protect a compromised leadership."

Mpofu said his party was going to file its response to the court challenge next week and said it did not expect an appeal from the fired MPs.

"In the unlikely event that such an appeal may be lodged, possibly for tactical reasons or for maintaining the MPs' salaries, the EFF will have legal remedies which we don't wish to discuss at this stage," Mpofu said.

Mngxitama, Ramakatsa, Litchfield-Tshabalala and another party member, Lucky Twala, were suspended in February for "convening and attending unauthorised media conferences" at which financial mismanagement allegations were made against party leaders, including Malema and his deputy Floyd Shivambu.

Mngxitama and Ramakatsa were among the EFF leaders who fell out of favour with Malema after the party's inaugural national conference in Mangaung in December last year.

Mngxitama was openly critical of the party's deployment and payment of Babuile's salary as EFF leader in the North West legislature despite his murder conviction.

The party's charges against Mngxitama included "inciting and pressuring a staff member to steal EFF property" and giving it to members of a rival political party.

Twala was handed a three- year suspension and has been ordered to apologise to the party.

Mpofu said the three MPs expelled yesterday would lose their seats in parliament.

He said the EFF was preparing to file its responding papers to the legal challenge lodged by the four members in which they challenged the validity of the disciplinary committee.

"This development will affect the complexion of the case," Mpofu said.