An Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Chris Hani region meeting turned into a fist fight when members turned against their provincial leader.
Turmoil erupted at the meeting this weekend when Vuyisile Schoeman announced the appointment of his ally, lawyer Monwabisi Tutu, as regional convener.
It is alleged that when Schoeman and Tutu broke free from the angry party members Tutu went to his car and drew a gun. Sources inside the EFF said a complaint was laid with the police. Provincial police spokeswoman Brigadier Miranda Mills said: “I can confirm that a case was opened relating to an incident of assault during a meeting of a political party.”
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday, national EFF acting spokesman Fana Mokoena said the incident had not come to the attention of his office.
“I totally do not have any idea of such a meeting and incident. It’s the provincial convener who can talk about that,” Mokoena said.
Attempts to get comment from Schoeman were unsuccessful as his phone was on voicemail.
The Dispatch learnt that Schoeman arranged the meeting through the regional task team as a platform to appoint Tutu as the new convener and Wanga Dunjwa as a coordinator.
However, Chris Hani region EFF members disputed both appointments. “The meeting did not go well from the start. When they arrived, they were arrogant and rude,” said a source who wanted to remain anonymous.
“Schoeman told us there is nothing to be discussed here, and that he is here to appoint the new convener and coordinator.”
The source said: “We told them we do not know these people they brought us. They are not known in the Chris Hani region. So we informed him that the meeting will not go ahead. Schoeman wouldn’t listen and the meeting got out of hand.”
As the meeting came to a rowdy end, Schoeman insisted that the region would forward Tutu and Dunjwa’s names for the positions.
“As he reached the exit door another fighter blocked his way demanding that he clarify his comments. A fight broke out and Schoeman’s arm was fractured.”
The source said a number of members threw punches and there was chaos. “Then Tutu ran to his car and drew a gun. The fighters ran for their lives and went to open a case with the police,” the source said.
Fractious infighting in the province had prompted the party’s central command team (CCT, head office) to dispatch a six-member team to defuse tensions.
On Saturday the task team reaffirmed the leadership posts of Schoeman as provincial convener and Simcelile Rubela as provincial coordinator, the Dispatch was told.
This was despite EFF president Julius Malema announcing in December: “This National People’s Assembly should give a mandate to the CCT to disband the regional and provincial CTs that fail to launch branches in all wards of their regions and provinces.”
The Eastern Cape command team, led by Rubela and Schoeman, managed to convene only two regional assemblies out of eight regions.
In December, Rubela told the Dispatch he aimed to convene a provincial assembly by February. — siphem@dispatch.co.za
Fist fight ends EFF meeting
Turmoil erupted at the meeting this weekend when Vuyisile Schoeman announced the appointment of his ally, lawyer Monwabisi Tutu, as regional convener.
It is alleged that when Schoeman and Tutu broke free from the angry party members Tutu went to his car and drew a gun. Sources inside the EFF said a complaint was laid with the police. Provincial police spokeswoman Brigadier Miranda Mills said: “I can confirm that a case was opened relating to an incident of assault during a meeting of a political party.”
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday, national EFF acting spokesman Fana Mokoena said the incident had not come to the attention of his office.
“I totally do not have any idea of such a meeting and incident. It’s the provincial convener who can talk about that,” Mokoena said.
Attempts to get comment from Schoeman were unsuccessful as his phone was on voicemail.
The Dispatch learnt that Schoeman arranged the meeting through the regional task team as a platform to appoint Tutu as the new convener and Wanga Dunjwa as a coordinator.
However, Chris Hani region EFF members disputed both appointments. “The meeting did not go well from the start. When they arrived, they were arrogant and rude,” said a source who wanted to remain anonymous.
“Schoeman told us there is nothing to be discussed here, and that he is here to appoint the new convener and coordinator.”
The source said: “We told them we do not know these people they brought us. They are not known in the Chris Hani region. So we informed him that the meeting will not go ahead. Schoeman wouldn’t listen and the meeting got out of hand.”
As the meeting came to a rowdy end, Schoeman insisted that the region would forward Tutu and Dunjwa’s names for the positions.
“As he reached the exit door another fighter blocked his way demanding that he clarify his comments. A fight broke out and Schoeman’s arm was fractured.”
The source said a number of members threw punches and there was chaos. “Then Tutu ran to his car and drew a gun. The fighters ran for their lives and went to open a case with the police,” the source said.
Fractious infighting in the province had prompted the party’s central command team (CCT, head office) to dispatch a six-member team to defuse tensions.
On Saturday the task team reaffirmed the leadership posts of Schoeman as provincial convener and Simcelile Rubela as provincial coordinator, the Dispatch was told.
This was despite EFF president Julius Malema announcing in December: “This National People’s Assembly should give a mandate to the CCT to disband the regional and provincial CTs that fail to launch branches in all wards of their regions and provinces.”
The Eastern Cape command team, led by Rubela and Schoeman, managed to convene only two regional assemblies out of eight regions.
In December, Rubela told the Dispatch he aimed to convene a provincial assembly by February. — siphem@dispatch.co.za
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