Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema. | Itumeleng English/ Independent Newspapers
Last week, Julius Sello Malema claimed that former president Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma is poaching his members, especially leadership.
Malema said this after his longtime friend and deputy, Floyd Shivambu, and SC Dali Mpofu left the EFF for the MK Party.
Said Malema: "If Zuma wants a war, that's exactly what he will get.
“I'm not afraid of him. I have beaten him before and I'm going to beat him even this time around".
Msholozi has not responded to his tirade. After all, it does not deserve a response.
Many people are joining the MK Party. Some have left the political parties they have formed to join the new kid on the block. One can mention Bongani Baloyi and Colleen Makhubela. So why is Malema blaming Zuma for EFF members leaving for the MKP? He is a sore loser.
According to media reports, EFF has banned the former party spokesperson Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi in all the party activities, including parliament. Reason? The leadership suspects Ndlozi is planning to leave the party soon. Yet there is no proof.
Other party members (speaking anonymously) are saying Ndlozi is intending to contest the deputy president position in the forthcoming party elections. What's wrong with that? Why should he not? Logic dictates that they are preventing him from contesting the second most powerful position in the party.
The red beret leader is a power monger and has turned the EFF into a one man show. He decides who occupies which position in the party. The forthcoming elective conference will be a mere formality.
In addition, Malema is also a flip flopper of note; he says this today and tomorrow says the exact opposite. And he expects his followers to sing from his hymn book. Those who don't are sidelined and eventually driven out. What kind of leadership is that?
The electoral support for the EFF is declining. In the last elections, it lost its third position to the MKP. It is now lying on the fourth spot - and it will never regain its position. Instead, it will lose its fourth position in the next elections.
Malema's leadership style leaves a lot to be desired. He behaves like a tinpot despot and has no respect for the party leaders and members. He speaks with them anyway he likes, even in public.
EFF is losing quality leaders and members to other political parties, especially the MKP.
Malema fails to recognise that he is the problem. He's destroying the very party he has worked hard to build. Yet he's blaming others for his shortcoming.
Thabile Mange | Gauteng
The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media or IOL.
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