Economic Freedom Fighters national spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi is one of the party leaders deployed to the Eastern Cape to sort out factional battles.
The EFF has been experiencing problems in the province, resulting in it having to disband six of its eight interim regional structures last week. The interim provincial leadership, led by Vuyisile Schoeman as provincial convener and Simcelile Rubela as coordinator, was also disbanded.
The party’s leaders, including deputy commander-in-chief Floyd Shivhambu and secretary-general Godrich Gardee, visited the province last week and met with regions before a decision to disband the six structures was taken.
It was made after the EFF’s “war council”, its top national leadership structure, and the provincial command team and regional command teams met in Port Elizabeth last week “to hear what challenges there may be in the organisation”.
Ndlozi, who has developed quite a following as “The People’s Bae” (sweetie or crush), this week said the Port Elizabeth meeting was preceded by general meetings where party leadership engaged branches on challenges facing the party.
It was then decided that interim structures in the OR Tambo, Alfred Nzo, Chris Hani, Joe Gqabi, Amathole and Cacadu regions be disbanded for failure to hold branch and regional leadership elections since the party was formed in 2013.
National leaders Ndlozi, Roger Xalisa, Sam Matease, Mmabatho Makause, Veronica Mente and Fana Mokoena were then deployed to undertake damage-control initiatives in these regions.
Only Buffalo City and Nelson Mandela Bay metros were spared as they had convened regional people’s assemblies last year. However, Ndlozi said the war council had decided to deploy Nkagisang Mokgosi to Buffalo City and Nathasha Louw to Nelson Mandela Bay “to guide these regions towards regional plenums and political schools that will see them come up with programmes of action”.
The six regions where party structures have been disbanded are expected to form elective assemblies on June 13 and 14 after all branches have been launched by end of a May deadline.
The Eastern Cape is the only province where the party has not elected its leadership democratically through congress, a reason the Schoeman-led provincial leadership was prematurely relieved of its duties.
Ndlozi said the Port Elizabeth meeting also resolved that Mlungisi Rapolile, a central command team (CCT) member, “will preside over provincial activities and facilitate all regions towards a provincial people’s assembly” scheduled for June 27 and 28.
These developments come just weeks after the party’s war council suspended its parliamentary leader in the Bhisho legislature, Themba Wele, over allegations that he had been involved in the creation of parallel structures. Wele is challenging his suspension in court, with the matter expected to be heard on May 19. He could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Ndlozi said the general meetings held also recommended that the CCT should directly oversee a process of working towards consolidating people’s assemblies that will elect new leadership to take regions forward. “These commissars will also launch branches together with coordinators that will be coming from outside the province and guide regions until they reach the stage of launching,” said Ndlozi.
Neither Schoeman nor Rubela could be reached yesterday. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
EEF bid to end faction feuds
The EFF has been experiencing problems in the province, resulting in it having to disband six of its eight interim regional structures last week. The interim provincial leadership, led by Vuyisile Schoeman as provincial convener and Simcelile Rubela as coordinator, was also disbanded.
The party’s leaders, including deputy commander-in-chief Floyd Shivhambu and secretary-general Godrich Gardee, visited the province last week and met with regions before a decision to disband the six structures was taken.
It was made after the EFF’s “war council”, its top national leadership structure, and the provincial command team and regional command teams met in Port Elizabeth last week “to hear what challenges there may be in the organisation”.
Ndlozi, who has developed quite a following as “The People’s Bae” (sweetie or crush), this week said the Port Elizabeth meeting was preceded by general meetings where party leadership engaged branches on challenges facing the party.
It was then decided that interim structures in the OR Tambo, Alfred Nzo, Chris Hani, Joe Gqabi, Amathole and Cacadu regions be disbanded for failure to hold branch and regional leadership elections since the party was formed in 2013.
National leaders Ndlozi, Roger Xalisa, Sam Matease, Mmabatho Makause, Veronica Mente and Fana Mokoena were then deployed to undertake damage-control initiatives in these regions.
Only Buffalo City and Nelson Mandela Bay metros were spared as they had convened regional people’s assemblies last year. However, Ndlozi said the war council had decided to deploy Nkagisang Mokgosi to Buffalo City and Nathasha Louw to Nelson Mandela Bay “to guide these regions towards regional plenums and political schools that will see them come up with programmes of action”.
The six regions where party structures have been disbanded are expected to form elective assemblies on June 13 and 14 after all branches have been launched by end of a May deadline.
The Eastern Cape is the only province where the party has not elected its leadership democratically through congress, a reason the Schoeman-led provincial leadership was prematurely relieved of its duties.
Ndlozi said the Port Elizabeth meeting also resolved that Mlungisi Rapolile, a central command team (CCT) member, “will preside over provincial activities and facilitate all regions towards a provincial people’s assembly” scheduled for June 27 and 28.
These developments come just weeks after the party’s war council suspended its parliamentary leader in the Bhisho legislature, Themba Wele, over allegations that he had been involved in the creation of parallel structures. Wele is challenging his suspension in court, with the matter expected to be heard on May 19. He could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Ndlozi said the general meetings held also recommended that the CCT should directly oversee a process of working towards consolidating people’s assemblies that will elect new leadership to take regions forward. “These commissars will also launch branches together with coordinators that will be coming from outside the province and guide regions until they reach the stage of launching,” said Ndlozi.
Neither Schoeman nor Rubela could be reached yesterday. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
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