Red rag: Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema uses the chant to mask that the party has no coherent vision for undoing injustice, (File photo)
A storm is brewing between the Economic Freedom Fighter’s (EFF) Limpopo structures and its national leadership after former provincial leader Jossey Buthane and over 300 others joined the ANC last week due to an alleged fall out with Julius Malema.
Sources told the Mail & Guardian that the national leadership immediately wrote to the provincial command team in Limpopo to find out how Buthane and the over 300 members left the EFF without informing the province of their intention to resign.
EFF leaders allegedly learned from ANC provincial secretary Reuben Madadzhe’s announcement at the Solomon Mahlangu memorial lecture in Polokwane last week that Buthane and 190 other EFF members would be joining the ruling party.
Insiders say provincial chairperson Tshilidzi Maraga and the province’s secretariat and organising committee were asked to explain how Buthane mobilised support “of that magnitude” to move with him to the ANC, without their awareness.
One insider, who declined to be named, said there were concerns over the mass resignations from the party over the course of one week.
“The national leadership wants this matter dealt with to stop the purging of members in the province before elections. Limpopo is a battleground for the pride of the EFF and we can’t be seen as weak despite the loss of over 300 members in one week,” the source said.
Another insider said provincial leaders had informed former national secretary Marshall Dlamini about Buthane’s close ties to the ANC, but received no response.
The insider added that the provincial leadership was under pressure to increase votes for the EFF in the 29 May general elections.
“A positive showing is important for the EFF because the commander in chief (Malema) and commissar Floyd [Shivambu] are from here. We cannot afford to mess up,” they said.
EFF spokesperson Sinawo Thambo said the party was only focused on elections and was not interested in other matters.
In an interview with the M&G, Buthane warned the EFF’s provincial leadership to brace for possible disbandment after next month’s elections.
“This is what happens when loyalty is tested. Everything I was going to do for the EFF will now be enjoyed and implemented by the leading party. The ANC will dismantle them in these elections,” he said.
“As I am speaking to you now, in Sekhukhune (the) EFF members have left. One of the members brought 217 people (to the ANC) and I brought 190 people. There are over 1000 people now who have joined after me. We are taking people who are very relevant to the EFF. We are not just taking new people who do not know anything.”
The EFF’s performance in Limpopo has been a subject of scrutiny, with fluctuations in electoral support for the party over the years. The party is the leading opposition in the province, winning 10.74% of the vote in 2014 to the ANC’s 78.6%, which increased to 14.43% versus the ANC’s 75.49% in 2019.
In the 2021 local government elections, the EFF’s support declined to 14.27%, leading to the party losing 25 council seats and its highest decision-making body — the central command team — disbanding the provincial leadership for poor performance.
Buthane said before leaving the EFF, he had learned from the media that Malema planned to dissolve the provincial leadership without discussing the decision with him. He further accused Malema of harassment.
“Every time Julius sees a mic, he thinks of harassing me. I decided to move to the ANC because I have had enough,” he said. “When I was a leader of the province, he did not speak to me of the intentions to disband our provincial leadership. We heard from the news that [Mbuyiseni] Ndlozi was coming to rescue us.”
He said the provincial leadership’s inability to mobilise and organise would cost the EFF votes next month.
“The problem with the current leadership is that it is not on the ground. They lead from phones and emails. That is a serious weakness, which all the parties in the province have seen,” he said.
Buthane said the recent expulsion of key members nationally would also hurt the EFF.
“This will be an opportunity for all parties to use. An organisation divided falls during election times and that is what we are going to capitalise on,” he said.
Political analyst Khanyi Magubane said the elections were a crucial “make or break” moment for the EFF.
“(They) will be viewed as the most important one since the dawn of democracy and the end of apartheid in 1994 and this will be important for the EFF to showcase its growth and capability to govern,” she said.
She said it was important for the EFF to work to contain internal disputes in the province to appease voters disgruntled over poor services.
ANC’s Limpopo spokesperson Jimmy Machaka said the party welcomed Buthane’s move to the party.
“What is more pleasing is that comrade Jossey Buthane did not rejoin the ANC alone (but) came with more than 1 000 former EFF members,” he said.