Cape Town - Two new Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MPs were sworn in on Wednesday in Parliament to replace the members who were expelled from the party.
“The Economic Freedom Fighters welcomes the newly sworn in Members of Parliament, Commissars Nazier Paulsen and Dr. Hlayiseka Chewane. Commissars Paulsen and Chewane are members of the EFF Central Command Team elected in the 1st National People’s Assembly and have been members of the EFF since the Organisation started in 2013,” party spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said in a statement.
“The new EFF MPs replace former members of the EFF who have been expelled from the party and parliament following a disciplinary process, and a court ruling reaffirming the legitimacy of decisions taken to preserve organisational unity, discipline and the pursuit of revolutionary commitments towards economic freedom in our lifetime.”
Former party MPs Mpho Ramakatsa, Andile Mngxitama, Khanyisile Litchfield-Tshabalala were expelled by a disciplinary committee for being the party into disrepute. Lucky Twala was suspended and instructed to apologise, he refused. The group’s court bid to fight their expulsion failed.
The EFF has been riddled by infighting since its December conference where members accused party leader Julius Malema of ignoring democratic process and imposing his preferred candidates for leadership positions. The party’s top leadership have been accused of misappropriation of party funds, undermining employees’ rights and harassment. In Mpumalanga, party chief whip Ayanda Tshabalala announced her resignation from the legislature last week. She along with other 1000 EFF members joined the African National Congress on Sunday, while Malema was in neighbouring town Hazyview, speaking to farmworkers. On Tuesday, the United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader Bantu Holomisa announced in Cape Town that Litchfield-Tshabalala has joined his party.
Ndlozi said Chewane was a qualified medical doctor who has been practicing for 10 years in both the public and private sector. He would represent the EFF in the portfolio committee on health. Paulsen, who served in the Western Cape legislature and is a former information and technology lecturer at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, would serve in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries portfolio committee.
ANA