Jockeying for position ends in EFF bloodbath
EFF MEMBERS armed with machetes, pangas and bricks tore into each other at the party’s Northern Cape provincial conference yesterday, trashing the venue and leaving a trail of blood.
The conference, which saw EFF members from across the province converging on the Savoy Hotel in Kimberley to elect the provincial leadership, spiralled out of control after an apparent jostling for top positions between the party’s incumbent provincial leader Aubrey Baartman and a delegate at the conference, Ronald Februarie.
On Saturday, a charge of assault was laid with the police following an apparent clash between Baartman and Februarie.
Yesterday, the police confirmed a case had been opened and were investigating it, but referred queries to the EFF.
Chaos erupted at about 3pm as a group of about 50 stormed the Savoy Hotel. A person in a camouflage uniform and armed with a stun gun was trying to “shoot” as many people as possible as they fled in all directions.
The fleeing members then armed themselves with machetes, pangas, bricks and beer bottles, and returned to the hotel’s premises. The front doors of the hotel were broken open and bricks flew between the different EFF factions, with members running backwards and forwards, trying to hide behind vehicles parked in the road. The front windscreen of a bus that ferried members to the conference was smashed. At one stage, Februarie came running out of the building with blood pouring out of his mouth and down his arm. He too ducked for cover behind vehicles in the road.
Inside the venue there was even more chaos, with delegates running up and down the stairs and through the corridors.
Tables, chairs and interior doors were smashed. Blood was smeared on carpets and on tiles in the passages. Both doors to the conference centre were broken and one entrance was barricaded with about 10 to 15 chairs that had been stacked on top of each other.
EFF members hurled insults, accusing delegates of being traitors and accusing each other of supporting fraudulent members.
About 10 minutes after the chaos erupted, several police vehicles and security guards arrived and restored order.
One reporter was forced to take cover and call to the police for help after delegates tried to take his camera to prevent him taking photographs inside the venue.
The police eventually took his camera to defuse the situation.
Baartman said: “One of the heads of security was injured after a brick was thrown at him, and he might lose his eyesight.”
Baartman accused one faction of hiring gangsters from nearby Galeshewe to disrupt proceedings.
EFF co-ordinator Mabatho Mokause, who herself was hit on the head with a chair, accused Baartman of being corrupt and bribing delegates with R10 000 to vote for him.