Moyahabo Mabeba
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in Sekhukhune, Limpopo have vowed to continue disrupting the swearing in of councillors in all four of its local municipalities.
On Monday, EFF members in Moutse blocked prospective councillors from attending an induction workshop in Ephraim Mogale Municipality.
The disruptions continued to Makhuduthamaga, Elias Motswaledi and Fetakgomo-Tubatse municipalities on Tuesday.
This follows widespread allegations of nepotism in the selection processes, with branches accusing the provincial leadership of imposing candidates who did not feature in the party list ahead of the local government elections.
The party has been accused of ignoring guidelines which said those who failed to win their wards should automatically become PR councillors.
In the party’s press briefing last week Julius Malema said they have been rewarding laziness and now they are tired of lazy people.
“Preferred PR councillors should be those with superior numbers. The more numbers you get, the more chances you get to go to council,” he said.
However, those guidelines have been ignored.
In a letter from Ephraim Mogale sub-region, branch leaders notified the office of provincial chairman Joseph Buthane that the PR councillors on the lists are not the ones who were contesting the elections and some of them are not even serving in the party structures.
David Setlamorago, who is the leader of the disgruntled faction, said the ongoing practice is killing the organisation and will result in low morale.
“We have decided to put on hold the swearing in of our councillors until the conference listing is adhered to. There are even names of people who died before the elections,” he said.
He added that they will never be led by people whose legitimacy is questioned.
Regional chairman Mashianoke Komane said he was not in a position to comment on allegations of corruption, referring the matter to provincial chairman Jossey Buthane.
Buthane said EFF members should follow internal processes to resolve their disputes instead of going to the media.
The EFF won three wards in Elias Motswaledi and 11 PR seats.
Image source: @EFFSouthAfrica
