The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is ‘under a genuine threat of disruption that can jeopardise its fight for freedom for generations to come,’ Leader Julius Malema said.
Malema was delivering a political report at the party’s third National People’s Assembly (NPA) held at Nasrec Expo Centre, on Friday, December 13.
“At this third NPA, we are faced with a new moment, wherein the EFF has experienced its first electoral decline and suffered unprecedented levels of sabotage and infiltration,” Malema said.
“It is for this reason, delegates, that the theme for this NPA is ‘Defend, Rebuild and Advance the Struggle for Economic Freedom , because this is the time, for the revolution (referring to the EFF) is under genuine threat of disruption that risks delaying our freedom for generations to come.”
Under the theme: Defend, Rebuild and Advance the Struggle of Economic Freedom, the event saw over 2,500 delegates from different provinces gathered to elect their new leadership for the next five years.
For the first time since the party’s inception, it held its elective conference without Malema’s longtime friend and trusted ally, Floyd Shivambu, who defected to former president Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe (MK Party) Party.
Malema’s political report reflected on the party’s performance in the past five years, acknowledging both the challenges and strategic priorities for the conference.
As he stood in the podium, Malema who looked weary and strained, did not avoid admitting EFF’s poor performance during the May 29 elections.
The red berets were outperformed by MK Party, despite Zuma’s party being a new.
Malema told the delegates that the party was sabotaged and infiltrated by those who wanted to destroy it.
This as key members, including Shivambu, former public protector, Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane, Dali Mpofu, Mzwanela Manyi, and others left the party to join MK Party.
Malema said the departure of prominent members, who joined Zuma’s party, is an attempt to destroy his party.
He called on the delegates and members of the party to defend the party, arguing that the attempts to destroy the party would set the freedom of black people back for another 100 years.
“It is our duty to rebuild this economic emancipation movement and the faith of our people in the principles of economic freedom and justice, because the EFF remains the most potent and viable weapon for the liberation of African people.”
The NPA, is the highest demonstration of democracy within the EFF, Malema said.
“This NPA will determine the political direction of the movement, receive reports, engage in discussion documents and ultimately give a mandate to a crop of leaders who will constitute the Central Command Team (CCT) for the next five years,” he said.
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