Durban - The EFF is facing a mutiny from within its ranks in KwaZulu-Natal, especially at its eThekwini region, over the nomination of candidates set to be sworn in as councillors.
It is being claimed that top positions on the candidate list of the eThekwini Metro were occupied by couples, spouses and members that did not campaign for the party.
Some of the disgruntled Red Berets aborted plans to march to the regional offices in Durban on Friday.
After failing to secure a permit for their protest march, they allegedly stormed the regional offices and took keys, before changing the locks.
The offices in Umbilo Road were still locked on Monday, despite claims by party leaders that they opened late after the person in possession of keys arrived late.
The alleged changing of office locks, sources said, was apparently to attract the attention of national leaders, and there is now an expectation that EFF leader, Julius Malema, should intervene if divisions are to be avoided.
A well-placed source told the Daily News that the unhappiness over candidate councillor lists was previously raised with party leaders.
"We were told an attempt to resolve them could distract the electioneering, so they would be attended to after the elections, before councillors were sworn-in, but it seems that it is business as usual," the source, who asked not to be named, said.
The source claimed national leaders were aware of the problems in eThekwini, and also at other regions, such as Amajuba (Newcastle) and uThungulu (Richards Bay).
Apparently in uThungulu there were concerns with the inclusion of provincial secretary, Rebecca Mohlala, as a candidate in uMhlathuze, though she apparently is also on the legislature list and a full-time official.
The sources also said some of the people who were in comfortable positions on the candidate lists had stopped campaigning when the lists were published by the Independent Electoral Commission.
"We want Malema himself to come and meet us, nobody else. There is nothing to talk to the provincial leaders about, as they have done nothing about the situation," said an EFF member.
Bonginkosi Ngiba, eThekwini regional secretary, said he was unaware of unhappiness over candidate lists.
"There were meetings where lists were presented to all structures, so there should be no problems. It could be that it is people who never made it on to councils, so they come up with these issues," Ngiba said.
Provincial chairman, Vukani Ndlovu, said he has only heard that there was a problem. "I am not aware that offices are closed. I drove past the offices in the morning and they were open. If it is a crisis, we should have known," Ndlovu said.
"They must come and we will respond to whatever they raise. We are a listening organisation."
He also said the disgruntled individuals should approach the party, and also indicated that it would be a problem if people raised issues of love relations as a basis for removal of some on candidate lists.
"They must separate issues of people not working hard in the elections campaign. It might be a problem, because it can be revolutionary."
Ndlovu confirmed that Mohlala had been removed from the list after concerns were raised.
Both Ndlovu and Ngiba claimed to be unaware of plans by Malema to meet the disgruntled members in Durban.
"Each organisation has its own processes. How can the CIC (commander-in-chief) come down without getting feedback or a sense of what is happening in eThekwini?" he asked.
Independent political analyst, Protas Madlala, said it was not surprising that some of the EFF members were apparently bitter after the elections because they did not make it on to councils.
He said since the party did not win any municipality, it would not be redeploying its other members to paying positions, and infighting was likely to set in.
"This is the beginning of the crumbling of the party. We saw that in Congress of the People, the NFP and many smaller parties. This is the beginning of their downfall," Madlala said.
Daily News