Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has denied reports that he went behind his former deputy president Floyd Shivambu’s back to ask President Cyril Ramaphosa for a position during the government of national unity (GNU) negotiations.
Malema was responding to reports claiming that the final blow to his partnership with Shivambu was a lack of trust during the GNU negotiations.
The Sunday Times reported that Shivambu felt betrayed when Malema allegedly bypassed him and directly approached Ramaphosa to request a deputy president position while Shivambu and other EFF leaders were negotiating with the ANC.
A source told the publication: “What happened is that Floyd felt undermined and disrespected by Julius because, while he was negotiating with the ANC on one side, Julius was busy undercutting him by going directly to the ANC president.
“This is what made Floyd blow his top and say, ‘If, as the head of negotiations, I am agreeing with the ANC that I will be accommodated as deputy finance minister, why are you running parallel negotiations?’”
Shivambu announced his shocking exit from the party last week.
Malema: I was never part of GNU negotiations
Addressing the EFF’s Gauteng Ground Forces Forum at Orlando Community Hall in Soweto on Monday evening, Malema dismissed claims that he went behind Shivambu’s back during the GNU negotiations.
“I was never in the negotiations for GNU. The secretary-general was there, the treasurer-general was there. Vuyani was there,” said Malema.
“I was in Polokwane throughout the GNU discussions. The SG called me when the negotiations collapsed. He asked me to return to apply my skills and find a way to reach out to these people because I had worked with them before.
“I was the first one, by the way, who said we need to join the GNU and declared that publicly. The only difference I had with them was that I would not join a GNU with the DA and FF Plus.”
‘I never spoke to Ramaphosa’
Malema denied that EFF negotiations with the ANC reached a stage where positions were discussed.
“They say they were offered positions in the negotiations and that when they told me, I denied them those positions. They claim I went behind their backs to speak to Cyril Ramaphosa to become a deputy president.
“They were never offered any positions; maybe in their imaginations, they were offered positions. We never reached that level where we had to discuss positions.
“I want to tell you here and now: I have never asked Ramaphosa for any position of deputy president, and I will never do that because I don’t have anything to do with what Ramaphosa is involved in. The only thing I told Ramaphosa publicly was that we would not join a GNU with the DA and FF Plus.”
Why Shivambu left
Malema said he could not explain why Shivambu left the party.
“I asked him what I did wrong so I wouldn’t make the same mistake with others. He said we did nothing wrong. He told me it was a political move, so fighters, I have no answers for you,” said Malema.
The EFF leader said that although he did not believe Shivambu’s reasons for leaving, he could only respect his decision.
He told fighters the time for mourning Shivambu’s exit was over and that it was time to move on.
“Our task now is to build this movement. We must isolate those who think the EFF is a stepping-stone to positions and personal gain,” he said.
“The EFF must guard against opportunism, factionalism, self-entitlement, greed, and all attempts to distract us from our generational mission.
“We remain confident and dedicated. The EFF must never be shaken by those who have joined our struggle for personal gain.”
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