Economic Freedom Fighters' (EFF) Leader, Julius Malema would not be drawn into discussions of who would fill the deputy president position after his longtime friend and ally Floyd Shivambu deflected to Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party.
“Leave me alone from that one,” Malema said in response to a question, as the position had been vacant since Shivambu left.
While speculation that former spokesperson and Member of Parliament (MP), Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi was a potential candidate, his absence since the party kicked off its elective conference has been noticeable.
Reports claim that Ndlozi has been barred from attending the conference and from being nominated for any position.
However, the party has since rubbished the claims, stating that the conference will continue without his presence.
The EFF was currently holding its three-day elective conference, dubbed National People’s Assembly (NPA) at the Nasrec Expo Centre, in Johannesburg.
With over 2,500 delegates from different provinces expected to elect the party's new leadership for the next five years.
Political analysts have since predicted that Ndlozi, whose absence has been glaring at the conference, was one of the top favoured to fill in Shivambu’s shoes.
Others favoured for the position included Godrich Gardee, Vuyani Pambo, and outgoing secretary general Marshall Dlamini.
Addressing the media, ahead of the nomination and voting of the party’s new leadership Malema, refused to respond, saying that he will not discuss the matter.
“I will not deal with the issue of a DP (deputy president) because if I say this is the kind of a person, then I am going to be accused of preference,” Malema said when asked about the qualities of the person who should fill the position.
Malema said by doing so, it would lead to accusations of favouring other people.
“That this characterisation of what he (referring to himself) saying a DP, this and that, you can see that he’s talking about so and so,” he said.
“So, angizi baba. Leave me alone from that,” Malema said.
Meanwhile, the party’s delegates are expected to nominate and elect its new leadership in the afternoon.
Malema is ‘poised’ to retain his position of the president unopposed, for the third time in a row.
IOL Politics