Johannesburg - The expulsion of three EFF MPs on Saturday would have no bearing or consequences, said Mpho Ramakatsa, one of the expelled officials.
“The matter is sub judice before the South Gauteng High Court. We have put in an application to review the national people’s assembly (of the EFF) and our view is the (congress) is flawed and was manipulated to produce Julius (Malema) and Floyd (Shivambu’s) leadership,” Ramakatsa told Indepednent Media.
“The EFF, its constitution and its national disciplinary committee are not above the laws of this country… so the disciplinary committee’s (findings) are not important.”
The three expelled MPs are Ramakatsa, Andile Mngxitama and Khanyisile Litchfield-Tshabalala.
A fourth MP, Lucky Twala, faces the sanction of a three-year suspension, suspended for one year, during which time he cannot break any party rules.
Twala has been ordered to make a public apology to the party in writing within 10 days. He has also been ordered to attend Parliament.
The 21 charges faced by the four include not attending this year’s State of the Nation address, granting interviews and holding press conferences to the media including “giving misleading information to the public about the EFF, attacking the organisation and bringing it into disrepute”.
None of the four challenged or participated in the disciplinary processes brought against against them. Among the evidence led during the process, was testimony from the EFF’s financial accountant, Rirhandzu Baloyi, that Mngxitama pressured and duped him into disclosing stolen information about the party’s finances.
According to chairman of the national disciplinary committee, Dali Mpofu, the most serious charge against Mngxitama was theft of EFF financial documents.
Further, he alleged the documents were placed into the hands of a rival political party, namely the Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie and his business partner, Kenny Kunene.
Mngxitama was also accused of participating in the impersonation of a police official, “as was the case when a journalist posed as a Hawks official in questioning Baloyi”.
Collaborating with members of a rival political party was tantamount to treason, espionage and sharing trade secrets, Mpofu said.
Among the findings against the four is their failure to attend Parliament, which was described as a dereliction of duty not only to the party but also to those who voted them into the legislature.
They further displayed “total defiance” of the conditions of their suspension by engaging the media and continued non-recognition of EFF structures, Mpofu said.
“It was impossible or untenable to run the organisation while these disruptions of its activities were continuing,” Mpofu said.
In addition, their continued use of party clothing caused confusion among the EFF’s membership.
Mpofu on Saturday slammed the four’s court bid against the EFF as aimed at “nullifying the EFF from existence without replacing it with anything”.
He said they had participated in EFF structures up until last year’s national congress in Mangaung when they failed to be elected into the top six positions of the party.
“It is at the least possible that their hostilities are motivated by personal considerations and sour grapes at not being elected,” he said.
Mpofu said the four had the right to appeal the sanctions against them, but this would be weird, given previous statements made by them that they don’t recognise EFF -structures or its constitution.
“It could be subterfuge,” he said. He said taking action against McKenzie and Kunene fell outside of the purview of the party’s disciplinary committee, but its central command team might this week announce further action against the two. The party has not ruled out disciplinary action against Baloyi, however, said its impression was he genuinely feared for his personal freedom and that he would be arrested.
“But… he could have gone to police (to report his fears) or gone to the leadership. Or there may be a plausible explanation,” Mpofu said.
Mngxitama could not be reached for comment while the group’s joint statement had also not been released at the time of going to press.
Labour Bureau