Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema said the party will now vote in defence of the DA in Johannesburg until the ANC delivers Ekurhuleni.
Speaking to Newzroom Afrika on Thursday, Malema slammed the party’s lack of communication following their disagreement on who would be voted in as the new mayor of Ekurhuleni, which resulted in DA’s Tania Campbell returning to her position.
Malema said the EFF was willing to talk with the ANC, on condition that they correct their mistake and allow an EFF member to be the mayor of Ekurhuleni.
“The voter said I want to see how best you can cooperate and work together and that means sharing of power. I don’t understand where the arrogance of the ANC and DA comes from. We never said we can’t negotiate with the DA, they don’t want to talk to us because they think they lost the votes of racists on the basis that they worked with EFF, but the racists are leaving them either way,” Malema said.
“Even the ANC we are willing to talk to them, but we are not going to vote for their motion of no confidence now. If the ANC wants to talk, they must first go to Ekurhuleni and put the EFF mayor.”
The EFF wanted its Gauteng leader, Nkululeko Dunga, to be elected mayor, but the ANC regional caucus wanted one of its own member to lead the city.
On Monday, minority opposition parties in Johannesburg announced that they wanted to bring a motion of no confidence against Joburg mayor Mpho Phalatse.
Malema was asked about what that would mean if the motion of no confidence was brought forward.
“Now, we will vote in defence of the DA until the ANC comes back to the table and delivers what it has committed in Ekurhuleni,” Malema said.
Source: Soweto Life, News24, The Citizen, image from Twitter: @MapulaMokgosang