EFF declares war on the Guptas

Screengrab: YouTube

Screengrab: YouTube

Published Feb 4, 2016

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Johannesburg – The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) on Thursday said it has banned Gupta family-owned media outlets from attending any of its events and media briefings and also demanded that the family leave South Africa.

“We are tired of talking about the Guptas … this is a battle against the Gupta family. The family is controlling this country, they have colonised South Africa,” EFF leader Julius Malema told reporters in Johannesburg.

Read:  #NkandlaPayback: Top 7 quotes from Malema

“The New Age newspaper and TV channel ANN7 are banned from our events from now on. This is not tempering with media freedom … the Guptas are not about media, they’re about propaganda. It is a machinery of corruption, a cartel and a mafia.

“We cannot guarantee the safety of Gupta employees at our events … we are warning you peacefully here, brothers and sisters.”

Malema urged African National Congress (ANC) leaders, who complain about the Gupta family, to join the EFF as it sets “a political programme” to eject the Guptas from South Africa.

Read: EFF rejects #NkandlaPayback proposal

The EFF will march to the Constitutional Court on Tuesday, where they will take Zuma on over the Nkandla matter, even though he has indicated that he is ready to pay for non-security upgrades at his private residence, which the state paid for under the guise of improving security on the property.

“On the 9th of February, let us go to the street to fight the Zuptas [Zuma and the Guptas]. Zuma must fall, the Guptas must fall and ANC must fall. We are not scared of Zuma or the executive … the only thing we are scared of is the constitution of this country.”

According to weekend reports, Zuma’s closest political allies had broken ranks with him over his close ties to the influential Guptas.

Read: Zuma allies in revolt over Guptas - report

Although there had long been whispers about the family’s close ties to Zuma and some of his ministers, the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) and the SA Communist Party (SACP) leaders went public with their growing irritation at the influence the Guptas were said to have on some leaders.

“We declare war against the Guptas and their businesses … and when we declare war we fight to the bitter end,” said Malema.

On the upcoming State of Nation (SONA) address, due to be delivered by Zuma on 11 February, Malema said the President should tell South Africans why he fired former finance minister, Nhlanhla Nene, before he proceeds with his speech.

“He will have to explain why he removed minister Nene before he reads his speech. We cannot lose billions of rands like that and nothing happens. Where have you ever heard of that? We removed [former president Thabo] Mbeki and replaced him with nothing … Zuma is a mess,” said Malema.

When Zuma replaced Nene with a relatively unknown MP David van Rooyen, the rand plumeted to new record lows. Under pressure Zuma removed Van Rooyen after just four days on the job and recalled former finance minister, Pravin Gordhan.

The EFF warned that the poorest of the poor in South Africa will feel the brunt of the blunder as prices of food and other imported commodites continue to cost more relative to the fall of the rand value.

African News Agency

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