Cape Town - The ANC has denied allegations from certain quarters in the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) that it is trying to woo them back into the ruling party’s fold.
This follows a brawl earlier on Thursday between opposing factions in the EFF at the Cape Sun in Cape Town.
It is understood that Andile Mngxitama, who called a press conference which was disrupted by the fight, wanted to reveal that EFF leader Julius Malema did not have backing from all of his MPs to disrupt President Jacob Zuma when he opens Parliament.
Malema has repeatedly warned that he will attempt to stop Zuma giving his State of the Nation Address until his answers questions on when he will pay back money many believe he owes taxpayers for security upgrades to his Nkandla homestead.
ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa told Independent Media that the ANC had not been in any talks with the EFF that if some of their members refused to support Malema on disrupting Zuma, they could find a political home in the ANC.
“That is a fiction of someone’s imagination,” he said.
He also denied allegations that Malema was attempting to return to the ruling party.
“There is no such discussion… he was expelled. If he wants to come back there is a different process completely. He is not even a consideration at the moment. His conduct now… shows the correctness that the ANC decision (to expel Malema) is 100%,” Kodwa said.
Rumours have been circulating for weeks about EFF MPs returning the ANC.
The EFF, which has 24 MPs and is the third largest political party, recently fractured, with a New Economic Freedom Fighters faction forming.
Security is tighter than usual in Cape Town’s CBD around Parliament in anticipation of planned disruptions by political parties.
The cellphone signal inside the National Assembly has already been jammed, making it difficult for reporters to file updates.
Independent Media