'He's been open about it': Malema says Mpofu’s EFF exit not a surprise
The EFF leader has revealed some of the developments he believes may have led to Mpofu’s decision to join the MK Party.
FILE: Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema during a media briefing at Narec, Johannesburg on 21 November 2019. Picture: Sethembiso Zulu/EWN
JOHANNESBURG - Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema said that Dali Mpofu’s decision to ditch the red berets for the MK Party was a long time coming.
Mpofu, who was the EFF’s former national chairperson, announced his move on Thursday.
The exodus of leaders from the country’s fourth-largest party in the National Assembly has raised fresh concerns about its future.
READ: After EFF exit, Mpofu denies claims that his relationship with party soured
Malema has since broken his silence on Mpofu’s defection in a podcast.
The EFF leader has revealed some of the developments he believes may have led to Mpofu’s decision to join the MK Party.
He said this includes a meeting called by former President Jacob Zuma last year between opposition parties before the 29 May elections.
This was even before the MK Party was formed.
In the meeting, Malema said that Mpofu proposed collapsing the EFF and the other smaller parties and establishing a new party under Zuma’s leadership.
"Dali is not only proposing it but he’s written it down. He’s thought about it and he wrote it down."
Malema, who wasn’t in the first meeting, later vetoed the proposal.
He said in another meeting, a counter-proposal was made to merge the other parties with the EFF, a move Malema said that Zuma refused.
"Then Zuma says 'No, no, no. Can you imagine old people voting for the EFF?'"
In a brief closed-door meeting between only Malema and Zuma, Malema said he asked Zuma to endorse the EFF in the run-up to the polls and suggested finding a way forward post-elections.
At that point, Zuma revealed his plans to form a new political outfit to contest the national and provincial elections.
The MK Party later made an extraordinary debut at the polls, beating the EFF in its previous spot as the third-largest party at the National Assembly. It also made massive headway in KZN.
Malema said that Mpofu’s latest announcement came as no surprise.
"He has been open about it, he’s been speaking about it."
While the EFF appears to be bleeding, Malema said the party was not in trouble.