‘EFF did not want to be swallowed’

The DA says the EFF avoided forming a coalition with it because it did not want to be “swallowed”.

During yesterday’s discussion on coalitions at the Tshwane University of Technology Business School, DA MP Stevens Mokgalapa said the EFF had said if it formed a coalition with the DA, the DA would swallow it.

“They did not have enough confidence to form a coalition with us,” Mokgalapa said.

He acknowledged the DA had signed a coalition with the United Democratic Movement, the Freedom Front Plus and Congress of the People (Cope).

“However, we are not in government with the Economic Freedom Fighters. But we have an agreement without having to sign anything,” said Mokgalapa.

He said the DA was under no misconception that the coalition was a huge challenge.

“We have a support base with EFF and, like any other support base, it can collapse at any time,” Mokgalapa warned.

National convener of Black First Land First, Andile Mngxitama, said: “The DA is a racist party. I was shocked to see my former party (EFF) giving the City of Tshwane to the DA.”

He said the DA would not be able to run the city without the EFF.

“They [EFF] have legitimised the DA,” he said. “To me, that is a coalition. The DA are smart and they will give you RDP houses, water, electricity and grants and you will be locked into an apartheid era. They will keep a bit of land for them. For this, I blame the ANC.”

Mngxitama said the DA would not raise the big question of land. “The EFF say they are humbling the ANC by going with the DA. Even during the time of the Boereoorlog, when white people were killing each other, they never said let us humble the British by giving black people power. But the EFF is giving the DA power.”

Mngxitama also said the DA supported white capitalism, adding: “We must isolate all the white capitalists, Pravin Gordhan and the DA … Everybody is talking about Nkandla, but when we talk about white capitalists like Johann Rupert they say no, we must look the other way.”

He said there was no proof the Guptas stole money from this country.