Cape Town - President Jacob Zuma has for the first time officially denied meeting members of the EFF in Mozambique to negotiate their return to the ANC as has been alleged in recent weeks.
In a written reply to a parliamentary question by the Democratic Alliance on Thursday, Zuma denied attending a meeting at the Southern Sun Hotel in Maputo on 18 January this year, which was allegedly attended by EFF leaders.
Zuma is known to have officially been in the Mozambique capital on 15 January to attend the inauguration of Filipe Nyusi as that country’s president.
DA MP John Steenhuisen submitted a written question to the president about the alleged Maputo trip.
In his written reply, Zuma said: “No. I did not attend a meeting in Maputo, Mozambique on 18 January 2015.”
Allegations of a meeting between EFF leaders and a group from the ANC were first made in an explosive letter written to EFF leader Julius Malema by his former associate Gayton McKenzie.
But Zuma’s alleged involvement in the meeting came to light during a press conference held by four suspended EFF MPs, who claimed that Zuma was meant to attend the meeting.
They alleged that Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi and ANC veteran MP Mathole Motshekga had arranged for Zuma to meet the EFF leaders in Maputo.
While Lesufi, Motshekga and the EFF have denied the meeting, Independent Newspapers reported this weekend that transactions on the EFF credit card placed the party at the venue of the alleged meetings.
Malema and EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu could not explain the spending on the EFF credit card in Mozambique at the specified times, but denied attending the meeting.
According to Malema, the allegations of the meeting were confusing because different reasons for it were being given.
“At first they said I went there to get 6000 t-shirts, then it was about the SONA and later it was about returning to the ANC. First of all, I do not need Panyaza to make arrangements for me if I want to meet the president.
“There is a line of communication. After the elections last year, I called Lakela Kaunda (chief operations officer in the Presidency) and told her I wanted to speak to the president.
“She got him on the line and I congratulated him on winning the elections. Why would I need Panyaza and Mathole to arrange a meeting with him? Last week I was in the same flight with Mathole, he was seated with his wife and when I greeted him he looked away.
“Is this the same man I was apparently with in Maputo?” asked Malema.
Meanwhile, the EFF has been hit by a resignation in its Tshwane region, with regional secretary Khumbuzile Bavu leaving the party. Bavu was elected to the position in October last year.
Another disgruntled group within the party, calling itself the “Defenders of the EFF Constitution”, on Wednesday claimed Bavu’s resignation was in solidarity with the call made in Mangaung for those opposed to the current EFF leadership to resign from their positions.
It claimed more Tshwane regional leaders had resigned from the party.
EFF secretary-general Godrich Gardee and spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi were not available to confirm or deny the resignations.
Independent Media