Cape Town – EFF leader Julius Malema says former president Jacob Zuma and ex-ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule have never been his enemies.
Malema said this during the EFF’s June 16 rally at the Alpine Stadium in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
“Zuma was engaged in matters that irritated us… the strategic enemy has always been white capital monopoly.
“Zuma did [much] worse to me… kicked me when I was down [and] took everything from me [but] do I have to be beat about it? No, it’s politics. There are no accidents in politics… everything happens for a reason.
“We want to thank Zuma for kicking Malema out of the ANC that’s why today we have the EFF. In every bad situation, there could be a good thing. Why must I be bitter and angry at Zuma?,” The Citizen quoted Malema as saying.
Malema also revealed recently that his party was in talks with Magashule and other senior ANC leaders to join the EFF.
He confirmed that discussions with Magashule were at an advanced stage and that the EFF will make an announcement when negotiations were concluded, Times Live said.
“I’m talking to him. We’re at an advanced stage of the discussions. Electoral politics are politics of numbers. It’s very important that you talk to everyone,” Malema said, according to the report.
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Last month, the EFF expressed its intention to attract influential members from the ANC, with Zuma being among their targeted recruits.
Malema said that Zuma should not be punished indefinitely.
“If president Zuma comes and joins the EFF, he’ll be welcome. I think very soon I’ll be going to see him, I must give him a form to join. The same way I’ll give to President Mbeki, the same way I’ll give to President Motlanthe.”
“They are good citizens of the country and I think president Zuma has paid his dues. I mean I said yesterday (Friday) the highest form of punishment you can give a sitting president is to ensure that they don’t end their term of office,” said Malema during an interview with SABC.
Zuma faces 16 counts of fraud, graft and racketeering relating to a contract to purchase fighter jets, patrol boats and equipment from five European arms firms while he was vice president.
He served as president from 2009 to 2018 before being forced out over allegations of corruption in the state sector.
The EFF recently received former African Transformation Movement (ATM) member Mzwanele Manyi.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
