Malema defends EFF’s failure to disclose funders

FILE – EFF leader Julius Malema says his party has nothing to hide and this was the reason they did not disclose any donations. File photo: Timothy Bernard/ African News Agency(ANA)

FILE – EFF leader Julius Malema says his party has nothing to hide and this was the reason they did not disclose any donations. File photo: Timothy Bernard/ African News Agency(ANA)

Published Nov 21, 2021

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EFF leader Julius Malema says his party has nothing to hide and this was the reason they did not disclose any donations.

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) published a second quarter report last week on disclosure of donations to political parties.

Other political parties have slammed the EFF for not making any financial disclosures.

Malema was addressing thousands of supporters at an EFF Siyabonga rally, held at Winnie Mandela informal settlement in Thembisa, Ekurhuleni yesterday.

He said the EFF had managed to bring the ANC to less than 50% in most places, and the party is looking forward to taking more votes in 2024.

On coalitions with parties such as ActionSA and the DA, he said they did not have black people’s interests at heart. However, he urged parties to unite to kick out the ANC.

“We will watch how the coalition parties will work; smaller parties must unite so that they can remove the corrupt ANC. If they are united, maybe the EFF can vote with them. As the EFF, we are not gunning for municipal positions; we will hold leaders accountable because they must provide better services for the people,” Malema said.

To those who questioned why the EFF had held coalition talks with the ANC, Malema said the reason was the party wanted the land, and the ANC is currently in government and could change the Constitution.

Malema said the EFF had nothing to disclose and nothing to hide when it came to donations.

“How come the EFF are the suspects for not disclosing donors, but the FF Plus and the IFP, who failed to disclose funders, are not questioned. The IFP runs municipalities, you want to tell me no one funds them? FF Plus is owned by farm owners, you want to tell me they are not donating?

“No one donated over R90 000 to the EFF, we get our monies through levies of councillors, MPLs, MPs and those R10 membership fees. Shame you guys (EFF supporters) do not have that money!

“The way President Cyril Ramaphosa and his people hate us, they would use it against us. We are glad that the ANC party branch called IEC will audit, we are not corrupt,” Malema said.

He urged his party’s newly-elected councillors to roll up their sleeves, while reminding supporters that work for the 2024 general and provincial elections starts now.

Malema told those who voted for his party would not take their votes for granted.

“To all those who voted for EFF, we want to say that we don’t take your votes for granted, we take your vote as a mandate to continue to hold those who are in power accountable. We will always make sure that all municipalities are held accountable and they serve our people... the work of the local government is water, sewerage, electricity [and] housing," Malema said.

People in the EFF were servants of the people, and did not need to run a municipality to be community leaders.

Political Bureau