EFF leader accused of taking sides in factional fight
EFF leader Julius Malema is being accused of taking sides in a factional fight within his party.
On Sunday last week‚ Malema held a meeting with structures from Mpumalanga to deal with an impasse between provincial secretary Alfred Skhosana and chairman Collen Sedibe.
The meeting led to a unilateral decision by Malema to suspend Skhosana after the party president allegedly claimed that Skhosana did not have a future in the EFF.
The party is plagued by divisive factional fights in its provincial structures as the deadline looms for provinces to hold their elective conferences before June.
Dysfunctional provincial structures effectively mean their efforts to increase EFF electoral support in the provincial and general elections next year could be hampered.
An insider said the meeting at EFF headquarters in Braamfontein was attended by national and provincial leadership and branch members across Mpumalanga.
“We all got a chance to comment on the tension between the chairperson and secretary and it was divided between those who supported Collen and those who supported Alfred‚” the source said.
He said when Malema spoke he indicated that there was no way Skhosana would defeat the other faction in their May conference and further indicated that he was not capable of leading the EFF.
“In fact‚ he said the secretary of Mpumalanga has no future in the EFF‚” the source said.
Malema then told party secretary-general Godrich Gardee to effect Skhosana’s suspension for bringing the party into disrepute.
The EFF leader from Mpumalanga said this was another example of Malema ruling with an iron fist in the party.
This week‚ Gardee wrote to Skhosana informing him of his suspension. He is also likely to be booted out of the Mpumalanga provincial legislature.
Gardee did not want to comment on the matter.
Malema was not available for comment. –