Malema slams 'sellout' Zuma's Morocco visit
Zuma met Moroccan officials and expressed his support for Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara, contradicting the ANC's historical stance on the matter.
'That was a complete sellout position,' Malema said. 'Now there's a manoeuvre: they are no longer emphasising their party position on Morocco. They are saying, a former head of state can visit any country and have interactions with those people. No-one is questioning that; we are questioning his position and that of his party in relation to Morocco.'
Malema was speaking on the sidelines of his appearance in the East London magistrate's court on Monday. The court heard closing remarks on the matter where Malema and his co-accused are charged with discharging a firearm in public during the EFF's fifth birthday celebration in 2018.
He expressed support for Western Sahara's fight for independence: 'We are clear — we are for the people of Western Sahara and we must make sure they realise their freedom in their lifetime.'
The conflict between Morocco and Western Sahara stems from Morocco's claim of sovereignty over the disputed territory. Zuma's visit sparked controversy with the ANC condemning his actions as 'reckless and provocative'.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
35 minutes ago
- The Citizen
The DA is failing dismally
Every passing week brings a new reversal for the DA. Party leader John Steenhuisen has misjudged every single power play made by the ANC. The DA performed much better as the official opposition than it did in its self-appointed role as the party that would galvanise the government of national unity (GNU). The same is true of its leader, John Steenhuisen. Its ministers have executed their duties with a zeal that puts their ANC counterparts to shame. But its larger strategy has fallen flat. The DA believed this link-up for the greater good with its former foe was a prerequisite for achieving the economic lift-off that would drag in its slipstream a fleet of benefits, such as revitalised institutions. It is self-evident that nothing like that has happened. ALSO READ: Steenhuisen has made a bad situation worse with tactical blunders Instead, the DA has been house-trained by the ANC. It barks furiously and still strains at the leash on occasion, but it will sit up and beg on President Cyril Ramaphosa's command. While I don't share the disdain of many journalists for Steenhuisen, some of the criticism is deserved. As DA leader, he has misjudged every single power play made by the ANC, from accepting a poor partnership deal at the outset to being goaded into making meaningless threats that he has been forced to back off from. Every passing week brings a new reversal for the DA. This week, its support ensured that the Appropriation Bill for all government departments was passed at its first reading. It's about as complete a climbdown as can be imagined for a party that had threatened to block the Bill. The plan had been that this would be the DA riposte to Ramaphosa's sudden firing of the DA's Andrew Whitfield, Steenhuisen had been incandescent. 'If this situation is not corrected, it will go down as the greatest political mistake in modern SA history,' he warned parliament. On the face of it, it was a brilliantly simple move. The DA would counter the ANC by singling out only departments headed by ministers implicated in corruption. ALSO READ: Steenhuisen warned of 'insubordination' over national dialogue stance Unless Ramaphosa sacked those ministers within 48 hours, the DA would join the uMkhonto weSizwe party and the department of economic development in voting down their departmental budgets, thus stymying the passage of the Appropriation Bill. The DA, said Steenhuisen, would vote against the departmental budgets of Nobuhle Nkabane (higher education), Thembi Simelane (human settlements) and 'corruption-accused ANC ministers'. The DA would also withdraw from the National Dialogue, no doubt the DA was chortling at its genius. At least three 'compromised' ANC politicians would bite the dust and the DA would be perceived to be guardians of governmental integrity. It didn't work out quite like that. Ramaphosa did indeed fire Nkabane, but it had more to do with ANC self-interest than the DA ultimatum. She was already fatally politically wounded and facing cross-party, including ANC, sanctions from the parliamentary ethics committee. ALSO READ: 'Long overdue' – Opposition parties welcome Nkabane's removal And in a real up-yours, Ramaphosa didn't fire any of the other DA-named ministers. This turned out to be just another dismally misjudged power play by Steenhuisen. But Steenhuisen has hinted that he has one card to play: proposing a motion of no confidence. This would not mean a general election – constitutionally, the earliest this could happen is in 2027 – but if it succeeded, Ramaphosa would have to resign. In that kind of scramble, because the ANC is so deeply divided, the DA could, at last, influence the direction of the state by choosing the person at the top, rather than merely lending the party their votes. It's time for the DA to etch a steely red line. READ NEXT: 'Right-wing nexus': Presidency cautions South Africans against the DA
Eyewitness News
37 minutes ago
- Eyewitness News
MK Party challenge against Ramaphosa appointment of acting police minister looms
JOHANNESBURG - The president has until Monday to file answering papers in the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party's challenge over appointing an acting police minister. The party is approaching the Constitutional Court urgently to have President Cyril Ramaphosa's decision overturned. Earlier in July, Ramaphosa placed Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu on special leave following allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. Mkhwanazi claimed Mchunu was linked to some key figures in an alleged criminal syndicate in Gauteng. ALSO READ: A presidential showdown is looming in the Constitutional Court, where the MK Party and leader Jacob Zuma's case against Ramaphosa will be heard. The MK Party seeks to invalidate Ramaphosa's decision to place Mchunu on special leave. The party wants this matter to be heard urgently as the appointment of Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia comes into effect on Friday. Ramaphosa has until 2 pm to file his answering papers before Wednesday's court battle. The MK Party wants the decision to suspend Mchunu and appoint Cachalia, as well as the establishment of a judicial commission of inquiry into Mkhwanazi's allegations, all declared irrational and inconsistent with the Constitution.
Eyewitness News
2 hours ago
- Eyewitness News
Malema says Phala Phala robbery scandal far from over
CAPE TOWN - Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema said the Phala Phala robbery scandal is far from over and the matter will be brought up before Parliament's ad hoc committee investigating police corruption. Malema made the vow on Saturday while addressing EFF supporters who came out in their thousands to celebrate the party's 12th anniversary in Khayelitsha, Cape Town. Malema said the robbery, where a large amount of United States (US) dollars were stolen from President Cyril Ramaphosa's farm, is another example of police cover-ups and corruption that needs to be investigated. IN PICS: EFF marks 12th anniversary with thousands gathered in Khayelitsha for celebrations It's been five years since the Phala Phala robbery scandal at Ramaphosa's private game farm near Bela-Bela in Limpopo. While prosecutors said they won't pursue criminal charges against Ramaphosa regarding the scandal that nearly derailed his presidency, Malema said it's not over. Malema said he will urge the parliamentary ad hoc committee that will investigate allegations of corruption made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi to revisit the Phala Phala case. 'That Phala Phala issue is not dead. We are going to find a way of bringing into this ad hoc committee because even in that Phala Phala, there was police corruption that happened.' Malema also said supporters should approach the ad hoc committee with any relevant information that could assist the investigation into crime syndicates involving the police.
