EFF legislator in hot water after party levy fight

More than R20,000 was deducted from Alfred Skhosana's bank account without his knowledge.

The EFF legislator in Mpumalanga immediately contacted his bank to request that the debit be reversed.

Party insiders say what followed was a tongue-lashing from a fuming party secretary-general, Godrich Gardee, who instructed Skhosana to transfer the money back to the party.

But by then Skhosana had used the money to settle his monthly bills. He was suspended from the party and is scheduled to appear before its disciplinary committee on Monday.

Skhosana declined to comment this week.

Members of the party's highest decision-making body, the "central command team", told the Sunday Times that Skhosana's case was one of many to have ignited discontent within party structures.

Party president Julius Malema announced last week that Skhosana was suspended for failing to pay the 15% party levy for almost three months.

However, an EFF member in Mpumalanga with knowledge of the matter told the Sunday Times that Skhosana's suspension had nothing to do with the levy and was a purge by Malema.

"The CIC [commander-in-chief] does not understand when you try to rationalise with him. It is his way only," said the EFF member, who asked not to be named, fearing reprisal.

The source said Skhosana did not realise that when the party moved from manual contributions to debit orders that his contributions for three months were not automatically debited.

Only after having the debit reversed did he realise "it was EFF, but that money was already used up", the source said.

Skhosana has been serving in the Mpumalanga provincial legislature since June last year.

A member of the provincial legislature earns approximately R50,000 after deductions.

An EFF member told the Sunday Times that Skhosana would have had to contribute around R6,600 a month.

Acting EFF spokesman Fana Mokoena disputed claims that the party leaders were purging those they disagreed with.

"We have been harping on payment issues for quite some time. It is not a new thing," he said.