Johannesburg - The EFF has walked out of a breakfast briefing hosted by The New Age (TNA) because it was “hoodwinked” into attending, the party's Dali Mpofu said on Thursday.
“Normally we would not have been invited here to this breakfast before the elections. Now elections are over, we are invited here,” he said before he and other Economic Freedom Fighters members staged a walkout.
“We were invited here on the basis that we were going to be part of the panel. I think that somebody got a fright at Luthuli House (ANC headquarters) and we've now been told that we are not going to be on the panel.”
He went on to attack The New Age, ANN7 and SABC, who broadcast the debate on SABC2, saying it was being used by the ANC.
“The problem is if institutions like The New Age, ANN7 and SABC are going to be used… then all that must be factored into our performance (in the election) because the entire machinery of the state was used against us… in the run-up to the election,” he said.
Mpofu said because of the false information by TNA, the EFF would walk out of the briefing.
“Because we were hoodwinked to come here and participate… and then it didn't happen, to show you what kind of protest politics we are going to combine with parliamentary politics, we've decided to walk out of this breakfast right now for that purpose.”
The host of the show Ayanda-Allie Paine interrupted Mpofu and said it was going to an advertising break.
“This is for the purposes of advertisers and not to get rid of you. Please do sit down and enjoy breakfast with us,” she told him.
Mpofu replied: “I'm sorry we have to go.”
The group of about six members, brightly clad in red EFF attire, then stood up and briskly walked out to the astonishment of guests. - Sapa