About 177 Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) delegates from the Eastern Cape are expected to attend the party’s Mangaung National People’s Assembly.
The assembly will start tomorrow and run until Tuesday.
This is the first national elective conference for the party since its establishment in 2013 by former ANC Youth League president Julius Malema.
Malema is expected to retain the ‘commander in chief’ position, but the province at some stage was divided, with some wanting Dali Mpofu as Malema’s deputy and others supporting Free State’s Mpho Ramakatsa.
Asked about the party’s current lineup of preferred candidates, EFF provincial convener Simcelile Rubela said the province will consolidate its official position on arrival in Mangaung.
“We are leaving at midnight and arriving very early on Saturday,” Rubela said.
In June, the party stripped its provincial leader Themba Wele of his position. This led to divisions within the party leadership as Wele remained legislature leader.
Tensions began to brew between Wele and the new EFF provincial leaders. The party became fragmented to the extent that it was undecided on who to support at the national conference.
Those seen to favour current EFF national coordinator Ramakatsa had their eyes set on EFF MP Floyd Shivambu contesting the deputy presidency position, Ramakatsa as secretary general and Eastern Cape-born advocate Mpofu as national chairman.
The pro-Wele faction told the Dispatch a month ago it wanted Mpofu for deputy president, Shivambu as secretary general and Tebogo Mokwele from North West as his deputy.
Last month, the disgruntled members stormed the party’s provincial headquarters, took documentation and announced a parallel leadership structure.
This prompted Mpofu to intervene in an attempt to create unity between the two factions. Party leadership told the Dispatch that it had regained its unity.
EFF provincial coordinator Vuyisile Schoeman said the unity of the party meant the province was open to be lobbied or to lobby other provinces for preferred candidates. — siphem@dispatch.co.za
EFF gears up for its elective conference
The assembly will start tomorrow and run until Tuesday.
This is the first national elective conference for the party since its establishment in 2013 by former ANC Youth League president Julius Malema.
Malema is expected to retain the ‘commander in chief’ position, but the province at some stage was divided, with some wanting Dali Mpofu as Malema’s deputy and others supporting Free State’s Mpho Ramakatsa.
Asked about the party’s current lineup of preferred candidates, EFF provincial convener Simcelile Rubela said the province will consolidate its official position on arrival in Mangaung.
“We are leaving at midnight and arriving very early on Saturday,” Rubela said.
In June, the party stripped its provincial leader Themba Wele of his position. This led to divisions within the party leadership as Wele remained legislature leader.
Tensions began to brew between Wele and the new EFF provincial leaders. The party became fragmented to the extent that it was undecided on who to support at the national conference.
Those seen to favour current EFF national coordinator Ramakatsa had their eyes set on EFF MP Floyd Shivambu contesting the deputy presidency position, Ramakatsa as secretary general and Eastern Cape-born advocate Mpofu as national chairman.
The pro-Wele faction told the Dispatch a month ago it wanted Mpofu for deputy president, Shivambu as secretary general and Tebogo Mokwele from North West as his deputy.
Last month, the disgruntled members stormed the party’s provincial headquarters, took documentation and announced a parallel leadership structure.
This prompted Mpofu to intervene in an attempt to create unity between the two factions. Party leadership told the Dispatch that it had regained its unity.
EFF provincial coordinator Vuyisile Schoeman said the unity of the party meant the province was open to be lobbied or to lobby other provinces for preferred candidates. — siphem@dispatch.co.za
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