EFF rules out coalitions in 2019 - Shivambu
Johannesburg - The Economic Freedom Fighters have no plans to form a coalition with any party in the upcoming 2019 general elections, the party's deputy president Floyd Shivambu said on Saturday.
The EFF held its central command team meeting in Braamfontein, Johannesburg were its leader Julius Malema delivered his political report.
Shivambu said the party discussed its strategies heading to the 2019 elections, however it had no aspirations to form any coalitions.
"We are not discussing anything about coalitions because we are not preparing to be in a coalition," he said.
Eyeing a majority
Shivambu said the party was building branches on the ground. The party's plan is to be in a decisive majority position instead of negotiating how and who to co-govern with in two years time. "Our core function is to have a decisive victory in all key provinces after 2019 elections," he said.
DA leader Mmusi Maimane in May during his speech on the realignment of politics said he was in talks with other opposition parties to deepen co-operation.
Maimane said the chances of winning the 2019 election could be improved with a pre-election coalition agreement.
"This is something that we need to consider," he said, adding that nothing was off the table.
"We are in the 2019 election to win it," Maimane said at the time.
The EFF and the DA formed a partnership shortly after the 2016 local government elections.
However, in September cracks started showing when the EFF's councilors boycotted municipal council meetings in DA-led metros which were sparked by the removal of Nelson Mandela Bay Deputy Mayor Mongameli Bobani of the United Democratic Movement through a motion of no confidence supported by the DA.
Malema then said that the party could no longer guarantee that it would vote with the DA going forward. EFF leadership, (from left) Floyd Shivambu, Julius Malema and Dali Mphofu, during the sitting of the central command team. (Lizeka Tandwa, News24)
