African Transformation Movement (ATM) President Vuyo Zungula has cleared the air on why he failed to honour the invite to the EFF national people’s assembly (NPA) in Johannesburg last week.
Zungula told Sunday World on Friday that he was out of Gauteng during the opening day of the EFF NPA doing ATM political work.
And this he personally explained to his EFF counterpart Julius Malema while other staffers of both parties also discussed the matter.
Zungula was in the Eastern Cape handing over a house to a destitute family on behalf of the ATM.
Hand-over of a house in the Eastern Cape
According to him, he had indicated to EFF secretary-general Marshall Dlamini that he hoped it did not clash with his party’s internal programme.
“On that Friday, there was a house opening and handover in the Eastern Cape. I even posted about it on Twitter that we had as a party,” said Zungula.
“I asked ATM people to move up our own programme so that I could be able to rush to the EFF conference. But we were delayed and by the time I went back to Joburg, the EFF was done with the part of the programme we were on.
“I sent my apologies and spoke to the CiC directly. And one of the ATM staff members was engaging staff members of the EFF. I would have loved to go. The first time I got the invite from Marshall (Dlamini) I told him to give me time to check if there was no commitment.”
Pours cold water on speculation
Zungula’s clarification pours cold water on speculation that he skipped the EFF NPA because of the senseless beef between EFF and MKP, both of which are ATM allies and partners in parliament’s Progressive Caucus.
Some had started speculating that Zungula snubbed the EFF as he attended the MKP’s first anniversary rally on Sunday at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
But Zungula, who has enjoyed a cordial political relationship with the red berets brigade, has refused to pick a side in the fight between EFF and MKP. And he insists that he will not fall for the tricks of wedge drivers who are hellbent on turning him into becoming a divisive leader.
Progressive Caucus
In fact, Zungula was the one who, when MKP head Jacob Zuma suggested that all “progressive parties” unite under one umbrella, he moved a motion that they all do so under the EFF, which was more stablished than the rest.
The ATM has collaborated well with the EFF in many political matters. Not just limited to their spirited push to hold President Cyril Ramaphosa accountable for his Phala Phala farm dollars scandal, which both parties are now pursuing in the courts.
