EFF pair ‘crooking elections’
First W Cape leader set to make comeback amid dirty tricks claim
ALLEGATIONS of vote buying, bogus branches and ghost members have rocked the provincial EFF ahead of its provincial assembly, where the party’s first provincial leader, Nazier Paulsen, is set to make a comeback.
In a letter to the party’s national leadership, a Boland party member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the provincial leader, Bernard Joseph, and provincial secretary, Melikhaya Xego, had crooked branch lists and paid members to vote in a particular way to elect new leaders.
“It has come to my attention from fighters and councillors that all the files of the Cape Winelands region were cooked, money was paid by Bernard and Xego for membership. Delegates are coming from four branches – Breede Valley, one in Stellenbosch, one in Drakenstein and one in Langeberg – out of all the 90 branches in the Winelands.
“All files were put together in the provincial offices of the EFF. Instructions came from Bernard and Xego. Councillors and fighters were told not to tell me because I am against fraud. I wonder who audited those files?
“I am told in those files there are (membership) forms from 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018,” the email read.
The complainant said both Joseph and Xego went around in the evening threatening branches and delegates to vote according to what they had prescribed.
“People were asked to call all delegates not to vote for certain fighters.
“I am not at ease (over) what has happened and ask the leadership to investigate this by calling all councillors, conveners, chairpersons and secretaries of branches to verify and testify about this.
“I have councillors and fighters who are willing to testify. I have no personal gain, I am just interested in the betterment of the EFF Western Cape and keeping it away from crooks,” the complainant said.
Asked for comment, Joseph said: “I have nothing to say on these allegations. Our national office can speak on this issue.”
Xego, who has two cellphone numbers, did not respond to calls to both numbers. The national leadership has yet to respond to the allegations.
Paulsen, founding convener of the EFF in the province, is expected to make a return to the Western Cape. “There have been calls for me to come back. But that is all I can say now,” he said.
Two EFF members, one in the Winelands and another in the metro, said there was a strong desire to bring Paulsen back.
The elective assembly will be held next month