EFF gives MK Party the cold shoulder, advocates for signing of BELA Act as it rebuilds
During a media briefing on Thursday, ahead of its conference to elect new leaders for the next five years, the party fielded questions from reporters.
The EFF is scheduled to hold its election conference, formally known as the National People’s Assembly, between the 12th and 15th of December at Nasrec in Johannesburg. Picture: Alpha Ramushwana/ Eyewitness News.
JOHANNESBURG - It is all systems go for the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) National People’s Assembly (NPA).
During a media briefing on Thursday, ahead of its conference to elect new leaders for the next five years, the party fielded questions from reporters.
The party is resolute about “rebuilding” its position in South Africa’s political sphere.
The red berets restated their dismay after falling flat in the May general elections - where no political party garnered an outright majority.
They managed to garner 9.52% of the national votes after the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party.
EFF GIVES MK PARTY COLD SHOULDER
Responding to a question about the MK Party’s invitation at the briefing, outgoing Secretary General Marshall Dlamini said the red berets would not accept the MK Party’s invitation to grace their first anniversary in Durban this weekend.
“I don’t have a letter from the MK,” he said, adding that they won’t join in the celebration.
READ: EFF National People’s Assembly: Red berets jubilant about electing new leaders
This comes on the back of the MK Party’s Secretary General Floyd Shivambu announcing on Wednesday that they had invited the red berets.
Shivambu is the former Deputy President of the EFF who jumped ship shortly after the general elections in May.
EFF WANTS BELA ACT IMPLEMENTED ASAP
The party is not wishy-washy on its stance about the contentious Basic Education Laws Amendment Act that seeks to change to rid schools of corporal punishment, make Grade R compulsory, and address schools’ language policies and homeschooling – among others.
“We will push until that BELA Bill [sic] is signed,” said a spirited Dlamini, threatening that should it not be signed, they will march to the streets.
The contention is in sections 4 and 5 of the Bill which the Basic Education Minister Siviwe-Gwarube has objected to.
Ramaphosa has since postponed the implementation of the two sections. They speak to language and admission policies at public schools, which signatories don’t want to see implemented.
REGAINING LOST GROUND
Dlamini revealed that the red berets will regain lost ground in their 11th year of existence.
“We’re not happy with our performance in KZN,” he said adding that it “affected our national [elections] outcome”.
Despite this, he added that everywhere in the country they had “regained” their votes.
He said the red berets seek to “defend, rebuild and advance”.
“Once we leave this NPA, the whole country will feel the might of the EFF.”
The EFF's NPA is due to begin at the Nasrec Expo Centre on Friday and conclude on Sunday, with 2,500 delegates expected to elect leaders for the next five years.