EFF founding president Julius Malema was re-elected to continue at the helm of the party for the third term on the trot.
This happened at the EFF third national people’s assembly (NPA) the Nasrec Centre, south of Joburg in Gauteng this weekend.
Just as American superstar Chris Brown was serenading more than 100K of his supporters with his hit songs and popular dance moves a stone’s throw away at the FNB Stadium, Malema emerged a victor without contestation.
Malema was accompanied by loyalists to the CCT
He was elected to the top six with the expected people.
Former party secretary-general Godrich Gardee was elected deputy president, ironically the only position that was contested by a rebel member from Mpumalanga, Esther Molepo, who got in trouble with the party just last month.
Molepo was “removed from deployment” last month by EFF Mpumalanga provincial secretary Jackson Malatjie for allegedly displaying divisive conduct related to the NPA on Facebook.
Punished for supporting Ndlozi
She was apparently removed as a punishment for actively lobbying for Mbuyiseni Ndlozi to stand for deputy president of the party against Gardee who was “arrogantly” supported by the Mpumalanga EFF top brass.
Gardee was not the only returning member to the powerful national officials’ structure of the red berets brigade because former treasurer-general Leigh-Ann Mathys was also elected deputy secretary-general.
Malema returned together with his trusted administration boss Marshall Dlamini while the lady in charge of party purse Omphile Maotwe also got another nod.
Nolutshungu breaks into top six
Noluthando Nolutshungu is the only brand-new top six member at the position of national chairperson replacing her home girl Veronica Mente who was demoted to ordinary member of the central command team (CCT).
In the CCT additional members, now 60 of them following a constitutional amendment, all Malema’s known die-hard loyalists made the cut with former national spokesperson Sinawo Thambo leading the charge.
Other staunch Malema allies who returned to the all-powerful CCT include Vuyani Pambo, Mgcini Tshwaku and EFF Student Command boss Sihle Lonzi, who was officially promoted through direct election into the structure he previously belonged to on ex-officio basis.
In a lengthy election process that lasted well past 2am in the wee hours of Sunday and was a clean sweep by the dominant faction, popular Mlungisi Madonsela Battalion leader Mafia Fane shocked plenary when he declined nomination to the CCT despite overwhelming approval.
One member short
As such, there was a confusion about the number of CTT members that were elected by the time Limpopo provincial secretary Kgothatso Mogoane rose to propose the closure of the process, which was swiftly seconded.
However, it emerged that the CTT was a member shy and thus non-compliant with EFF constitution which resulted in the election process being reopened to fill the vacancy.
Electoral committee head Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi SC was heard on plenary mics admitting that the cause of the numbers not balancing was because he included Fane though he had rejected the nomination.
Fane is also said to be a symphathiser of Ndlozi who was excluded from participating in the NPA.
The EFF NPA will conclude today with commissions discussing policy change proposals on Sunday morning before Malema delivers his acceptance speech and officially closes the conference later in the day.
