EFF elects new leaders in E Cape

THE EFF in Eastern Cape has finally elected its provincial leadership to take the party to the much-anticipated 2016 local government elections.

The party’s first provincial people ’ s assembly was convened at JJ Serfontein School in Queenstown. It was addressed by party president Julius Malema and other top brass, including Dali Mpofu.

The two-day conference, attended by more than 500 delegates, was held over the weekend and saw EFF MPL Siyabulela Peter elected as provincial chairman and Ayanda Makhongwane as secretary.

Peter is one of the only two EFF MPLs in the provincial legislature. He has been at loggerheads with troubled former EFF provincial leader Themba Wele, who has since been booted out of the leadership.

Other leaders include deputy chairman Litha Zibula, deputy secretary Phumeza Kwababa and treasurer Mam Langa.

In an interview, Peter said the newly elected leadership had the task of uniting the party’s fragmented membership.

“The conference was highly contested and we have emerged, but now we have to unite and rally behind the new leaders.

“The mandate is to build the organisation,” Peter said.

He said now that the party had a legitimate provincial structure, its members had to garner support for the party. It remains to be seen whether the Peter-led provincial command team will be able to mend cracks caused by Wele’s booting.

Wele ’ s departure from the provincial leadership last year saw the EFF being run by a task team led by convener Vuyisile Schoeman and coordinator Simcelile Rubela.

However, because of infighting, the party delegated national command team member Mlungisi Rapolile to shepherd the party’s provincial structures until the provincial conference.

On his arrival in the province early this year, Rapolile disbanded the Schoeman-led task team and took over the responsibility of steering and mending factionalism within the provincial leadership.

Wele was suspended as the party ’ s legislature leader in March.

He was served with a suspension letter signed by EFF secretary-general Godrich Gardee.

Peter then took over as legislature leader.