Ekurhuleni ANC distances itself from call to end its coalition with EFF

The ANC in Ekurhuleni has distanced itself from a request by its acting regional secretary, Jongizizwe Dlabathi, to have the party review its relationship with the EFF.

The region said  it was shocked to have learnt of this proposal from social media.

Dlabathi reportedly penned a letter to provincial leadership asking for their intervention in his bid to divorce their working coalition relationship with the red berets in the municipality.

The parties have the same number of seats in the 10-person mayoral committee.

Acting regional secretary Moipone Mhlongo said the party strongly condemned any attempts to undermine the collective leadership and democratic centralism within the organisation.

“The regional executive is dismayed by these unfortunate utterances and takes these matters seriously. It is deeply concerned by the behaviour of members who act outside the collective wisdom of organisational structures,” she said.

Mhlongo said the attempt to axe the EFF from the coalition was unacceptable, “especially at this time in which the party faced counter-revolutionary attacks” and unity was crucial.

She took a hit at Dlabathi, saying the leadership entrusted with safeguarding the value system of the ANC cannot be the ones to “grossly violate and trample on it by acting as individuals”.

“Despite the actions of a few individuals who may have misused their privilege of leading the ANC in the region, we reaffirm that the ANC will vigorously guard against those who want to act as individuals in pursuit of objectives unbeknown to the leadership collective,” said Mhlongo.

Meanwhile, EFF leader Julius Malema said the spat wasn't caused by the EFF's wrongdoing.

“It is not because the EFF did anything wrong. The EFF simply refuses to be part of corruption. Jongizizwe says the relationship is going to destroy the ANC because the EFF has not given them any space.”

Malema said the ruling party going into bed with them  has taught them a lesson and that his party has no problem with people hating them for doing the right thing.

“They are not saying the EFF is not delivering to the people. The EFF confronted them in a very harsh way about how they are engaged in the sabotage of electricity in Germiston through their manager, who is ANC-aligned.

“They were deliberately switching off electricity so that they can cause revolts by communities but because the EFF is on the ground it knows their operations. They confronted them on being part of government and still being part of sabotage against their own people,” he said.

Malema said they were not accused of incompetence, corruption or lack of service delivery

“We are hated because we will do what we say we will do. We are not fighting over tenders or positions. As to what is the problem, I don't know. There could only be one problem — they cannot benefit from corruption, because we will not allow that,” he said.

Malema said he was satisfied with his deployees in government and should the ANC remove their mayoral committee members, they vowed to unseat the ANC in every Gauteng municipality in which they co-govern.

“The leadership we have in Gauteng is quite all right. We are happy. They must continue to suffocate the ANC and everybody else. If they want to take out the EFF in Ekurhuleni, so be it. We will remove them as well in Joburg, Mogale City and everywhere else. It would be good for the EFF to stay there, but we are not obsessed with positions or power,” Malema said.

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