EFF to hold assembly at UFS, claims many other spaces won't host them

The Economic Freedom Fighters have praised the University of the Free State for allowing them to use its premises for their first elective National Peoples Assembly on Peoples Power for Economic Freedom.

"The EFF commends the University in particular because since our formation on the 26 of July 2013 many public spaces have been closed down for the new economic emancipation movement," EFF spokesman Mbuyiseni Quintin Ndlozi said in a statement.

"Many cities and town councils, municipalities, academic, sports and entertainment centres have bowed to the pressure of anti-democratic forces, often located in the ruling party, to refuse us places to hold our meetings," He said.

While the EFF criticised public spaces for not allowing them to hold conferences, saying that "many doors where the EFF knocked, they were not opened simply because we hold a different view from that of the government of the day which abuses its power, resources and influence to shut down spaces against the EFF".

According to a report earlier this month, an EFF conference at the Savoy Hotel in Kimberley erupted into chaos.

Members brought pangas, machetes and half bricks to a meeting where the provincial leadership was to be elected.

The fighting broke the doors open, and conference delegate Ronald Februarie was seen running from the venue with blood pouring from his mouth.

Meanwhile EFF members accused leader Julius Malema of ordering guards to shoot them with rubber bullets at a conference in Meyerton, Midvaal intended to elect provincial leaders.

"Eventually there was chaos. [EFF leader] Julius [Malema] hired private security guards and shot rubber bullets at EFF members and one person was injured," said  Lufuno Gogoro from the Economic Freedom Fighter's branch in Ward 24 Johannesburg.

"The National Peoples Assembly of the EFF will take place on the 13 to 16 December 2014, under the theme of Peoples Power for Economic Freedom. We invite members of the University, all South Africans, Africans and the international community to contribute to the policy formulations that will take place by submitting proposals to the EFF leadership," Ndlozi said.