Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema accused the ruling African National Congress of “shenanigans” in the Gauteng provincial vote, saying the ANC “knows that in reality they lost the province.”
Malema addressed a press conference Saturday following the release of the preliminary results of the 2014 national and provincial elections.
The ANC’s results in the economically vital Gauteng decreased from 64.04 percent in 2009 to 53.59 percent, the party’s worst provincial performance in 2014.
Malema called on EFF supporters, however, to accept the outcome of the elections.
“They say that the ANC took a big knock in Gauteng and that they had lost support, but the reality is that they lost the province,” he said.
On Friday night, EFF, Inkatha Freedom Party and ANC supporters clashed in the Johannesburg township of Alexandra. An Electoral Commission of South Africa tent was burned down, and a number of people were injured and some were taken into custody by the South African Police Service.
The police had used the army as backup to contain the situation, with troops deployed in armored vehicles at crossroads in the township in order to restrict the movement of people.
On Saturday, Malema still managed to congratulate the ANC on winning the election with 62 percent of the votes and said that life should go on for the sake of the country.
“…even the Alexandra mafia knows they (the ANC) have lost the province,” he said.
He committed his party members, who would go to Parliament, to uphold their working-class roots, saying they would ignore the legislature’s dress code of suits and ties and wear (red) overalls.
“Parliament must work and not debate irrelevant things,” he said.
Malema refused to answer a media question about the sequestration issue that is hanging over his head. However, he again accused the ANC of targeting him, adding he wanted the matter dealt with before the elections. “They wanted me to go into these elections with a dark cloud hanging over me.”
“I engage in an effective struggle against corruption … I am unable to do this when charged.”
The deadline for him to pay an outstanding tax bill is April 26.
However, Malema said he would be leading his party in Parliament for the first sitting of the National Assembly on April 21.
On the EFF’s Parliamentary plan, Malema said it may support the ANC if it wanted a two-thirds majority to change the constitution for land expropriation without compensation and it may support the Democratic Alliance if that party wanted to continue with its motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma.
Read the full story at bdlive.co.za
