Axing Gordhan and Jonas the end of Zuma, says Malema

EFF leader Julius Malema says his party is consulting their lawyers about options to remove President Zuma from office. File picture: Itumeleng English/Independent Media

EFF leader Julius Malema says his party is consulting their lawyers about options to remove President Zuma from office. File picture: Itumeleng English/Independent Media

Published Mar 30, 2017

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Johannesburg – EFF commander in chief Julius Malema has reaffirmed that Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and his deputy Mcebisi Jonas are out of cabinet, but says the EFF is equally ready to see President Jacob Zuma walk the plank.

In a radio interview on Power FM on Thursday morning, Malema said his party was ready to pass a motion of no confidence against the President.

“Zuma is going out. The reshuffling of Pravin and Mcebisi Jonas is the end of Jacob Zuma. We must prepare ourselves for a transition”.

Malem said it was only a matter of time before an announcement was made on Gordhan and Mcebisi.

He said, however that the EFF was also consulting with lawyers to see what their options are and whether a new president can be elected immediately.

“We must prepare ourselves for a new leadership. Zuma is leaving. We are just waiting for that moment he is going to reshuffle and put the economy of the country at risk. Once he sends announcement, we press the button (send motion to Baleka Mbete),” he said, adding if Zuma leaves through such a process he stands to lose everything.

Also speaking a day after he attended the funeral of late ANC stalwart Ahmed Kathrada, Malema said he

At the funeral, Ahmed Kathrada Foundation CEO Neeshan Balton told Malema, who was seated next to ANC veteran Winnie Madikizela Mandela, that one of Kathrada’s wish was to take the young leader to Robben Island.

Malema pointed out that the Rivonia trialist had already informed him of this.

“He mentioned it to me. We should have done it on January 8 but I had to go to KZN to visit our student leader (Bonginkosi) Khanyile. I wanted to take him with me to visit. It’s something that I don’t have a problem with. I’ve never been to Robben Island. It’s an emotional thing for me. I’ve always avoided it but I’ve made it clear to Barbara Hogan that we can go on his birthday in August,” he said.

Malema explained that he had no regrets attending Kathrada’s funeral even with his coffin draped in an ANC flag because he knew and had a relationship with the old man.

Malema also took a swipe at the recent ANC structures saying the party was now a shadow of its former self.

He highlighted that the real ANC was outside the ANC.

On requests for him to rejoin the ANC, Malema said he he often talked to veterans inside the ruling party and none had urged him to return to the party.

He also used the current factional battles within the ANC and succession talks to point out that neither Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa or former AU chair Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma were his favourites to lead.. He said former President Kgalema Motlanthe was a unifying figure.

On DA Western Cape Premier Helen Zille’s tweets, Malema said the party was waiting for the opposition party to act decisively saying it could not love her more than the people who were offended by her tweets.

He insisted that in five years time the EFF will make major strides in government particularly in Gauteng and the North West.

The EFF has in a statement revealed that its leader Julius Malema will submit a court application to the Constitutional Court to have Zuma impeached this afternoon.

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Political Bureau

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