Suspended EFF MPL unable to attend hearing, but blasts party
EASTERN Cape EFF MPL Themba Wele, suspended by the party for allegedly creating divisions, missed his disciplinary hearing at the party’s national headquarters in Johannesburg yesterday.
Instead, Wele hit out at party leader Julius Malema, accusing him of turning the party into a personal project of attacking President Jacob Zuma and the ANC.
Wele said he had stayed away from the hearing because he was ill, booked off medically.
Wele is one of two EFF MPLs in the Bhisho legislature.
He was suspended from the party earlier this month, but not from the legislature.
At yesterday’s hearing, Wele was to have responded to five charges against him, including defying the national leadership’s instructions and promoting division by announcing a structure parallel to that cre- ated by national bosses.
He is also accused of unilaterally appointing his personal assistant without party authorisation and defying secretarygeneral Gordrich Gardee’s instructions by refusing to sign documents to be sent to the legislature.
Wele said he had sent his sick note to the party on Tuesday.
“The doctor instructed me not to go anywhere.
“Had I known I would be sick on the day of the hearing I would have told them. But you cannot control when to be and when not to be sick,” he said.
He laid into Malema’s leadership, saying the party had abandoned what it stood for – fighting for the poor.
“Some people in the party think the EFF is something for insulting Zuma and the ANC.
“People look to the EFF for entertainment in parliament because we are not raising issues that affect the poor.
“People think being radical is hurling insults at our elders.
“No one is benefiting from what is happening in parliament – certainly not the poor.
“We spent the year talking about Nkandla and yes, if Zuma did steal the money, he must pay it back, but we must follow the right steps to recover it.
“The EFF is dying because it is being used to fight individuals’ battles and the ANC, but when you raise that you are accused of working with the ANC.
“The EFF is not a party to protect Julius, Dali [Mpofu] or anyone else,” he said.
EFF national spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi could not be reached for comment. EFF provincial coordinator Simcelile Rubela defended the party’s action in parliament.
“What is happening in parliament is the mandate of the organisation given by EFF branches. It is not the commander-inchief’s [Malema’s] thing. It has nothing to do with their personal vendettas from when they were still in the ANC.
“It really is a shame [Wele] is saying such things because he is exposing his shallowness in understanding the policies of the EFF,” Rubela said.
He said the party had taken a decision not to discuss the disciplinary process in the media until it was wrapped up.
Wele believes he was suspended for calling for a forensic investigation into the party’s funds, which he alleges have been embezzled.
The case of the alleged embezzlement of the EFF provincial money will be heard at the Bhisho High Court next month.