'Fake!'- EFF denies calling for Malema’s head

The EFF has distanced itself from a statement calling for the resignation of Julius Malema after a “poor showing” in the local government elections.

The statement, which was purported to be from the EFF in the Eastern Cape, said the provincial leadership was aggrieved by Malema’s conduct in the lead up to the elections, accusing him of “eroding the electoral margins of our movement”.

“Your excellency, you are hurting the EFF. The EFF brand has been eroded, resulting in our own supporters losing confidence in the movement,” said the statement.

It attributed the “loss of support” to Malema’s attack on the judiciary, an “ill-conceived association with president Jacob Zuma” and his stance on foreign nationals, among other things.

EFF MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi and EFF chairperson in the Eastern Cape Yazini Tetyana took to social media to clear the air on the statement, calling it “fake”.

Tetyana told TimesLIVE the party will not entertain the fake letter.

“I don't know where it comes from. Actually, we don't care where it comes from. It's fake news. It doesn't matter what they wanted to achieve, they will never divide the EFF. We will not waste energy and time investigating who did it, it doesn't matter to us. We are too busy for that,” he said. 

Malema told the media on Tuesday he would not back down on his views and would resign if the EFF structures instructed him to do so. 

“If this thing cost us municipalities and there are people who say I must resign, I will resign. For Africans I will resign. For black people I will resign. I have no problem. What makes me sleep at night is that white people say they can work with anyone except the EFF. I don’t want the enemy to be happy,” he said.