Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema said he was not intimidated by former president and current uMkhonto weSizwe (MK Party) leader, Jacob Zuma, adding that he is ready to fight.
Malema was speaking on the party’s podcast and the interview was made available on the party’s social media platforms.
“This is not the first time he is inviting me back to fight with him and I’ll do it, I’ll do it with ease. I’m not scared of Zuma or all his people,” he said.
“...There is no way anyone is going to threaten the existence of the EFF and that person becomes a friend, that will be a lie. People keep stabbing you in the back and when they meet you in public they want to be smiling. No, keep your distance,” he added.
Malema made the comments after some of his high-ranking members resigned and established membership with Zuma’s MK Party.
Former EFF deputy leader, Floyd Shivambu, former Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane as well as advocate Dali Mpofu left the red berets to join MK Party.
MK Party is now the third largest party with only less than a year of being launched.
During the podcast, Malema mentioned that before the May 29, 2024 elections, the EFF and other opposition parties were called in Zuma’s homestead in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal where it was discussed that the EFF must be dissolved and form part of the MK Party.
Malema said he didn’t attend the meeting by sent some of his then senior members to attend the meeting.
“Dali went to make a presentation in that first meeting where he said the EFF must shut down with the other parties and then form something under Zuma’s leadership,” said Malema.
Last week Friday, Malema spoke to the media during President Duma Boko's inauguration ceremony in Botswana, addressing the status of his relationship with Zuma.
“I don't have any relationship with President Zuma. We are political contenders, he is a leader of a political party, and I am a leader of a political party. That's where our relationship starts and ends.
“Where we agree on issues we will share a common perspective, where we disagree, we will disagree respectfully so,” he said.
Malema affirmed that the EFF will not fall apart not under their watch.
“You cannot destroy that which you have not built. It can't fall apart. It's our own child, it's our baby and we will decide what we do with it. The EFF is the future, and it cannot be destabilised by opportunism,” he added.
Meanwhile, the EFF is preparing for its elective conference next month.
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