Former EFF official regrets leaving ANC
FORMER EFF provincial secretary George Nyakama regrets leaving the ANC to join the EFF and has now decided to take a leave of absence from politics.
Nyakama pointed out that while he had resigned from the EFF, he still chose to wear his red EFF beret and branded two-piece overall.
“I must get value for the money I paid for the uniform. I fell in love with the red, so I will decide when it is time to burn it. I never party hopped as I had left the ANC for 10 years before I joined the EFF.”
He stated that he will approach the Labour Court to challenge the fairness of the disciplinary hearing that led to the four-year suspension of his EFF membership.
“I will not be applying for party reinstatement. For me politics is supposed to be serving the people and not about collecting a salary. I was approached to join the ANC as well as the Kgatelopele Community Forum, but at this stage I am taking a back seat from politics.”
Nyakama stated that anyone who dares to speak out against the wrongdoings of the EFF would be persecuted and purged.
“I have always been vocal, even if the EFF commander in chief, Julius Malema, has done something wrong. There is no democracy in the EFF and people are not in love with the organisation but are in love with Julius. There is no one to correct him when he is wrong or frequently contradicts himself. They are afraid of him or of losing their positions. President Jacob Zuma is better than Malema because you are allowed to differ with him.”
Nyakama added that the party had shown him “no mercy” following the death of his son.
“I buried my son Alfonso Arends, 17, after he was brutally attacked by a group of men on January 7 and was served with a precautionary suspension letter on January 12.”
He was convinced that he was found guilty on trumped up charges. Soraya Crowie (File) “Three people signed that cheque and yet only two are being persecuted. If you go against the tide, action is taken against you. Crucial leaders have since left the party because of the way the party is being run.”
Nyakama explained that the charges against him related to R40 000 that was for organisational work and that he had receipts to prove how the money was spent.
“The Province was confronted with the late delivery of posters, pamphlets and other election material which caused the late delivery of posters to the regions and branches.
“The service provider could only deliver these materials to Bloemfontein, whereby the Province had to provide a means to collect these in Bloemfontein. The provincial chairperson and provincial treasurer had to travel to Durban to collect the candidate posters.
“The sporadic delivery of the election posters made it difficult for distribution throughout the Province, as they did not arrive on the same day.”
Nyakama said that expenses were also incurred in training party agents ahead of the local government elections.
“We never received a cent of that money for our personal use and all expenses were approved. How can you charge someone for performing their duties? As a founder member of the party, I was sidelined to make way for former ANC Youth League members who are not even EFF branch members. They are puppets who cannot think out of the box.”
Nyakama added that he had used his salary and vehicle to campaign for the EFF.
“We had to roll out the 2016 local government elections with zero budget and we were under extreme pressure to make it a success. Today I no longer receive a salary but that does not bother me as I am used to struggling.
“Even the opposition was asking who will be vocal in the party, now that I am no longer there.”