'None of our weekend meetings were disrupted' – EFF
3 September 2018
The EFF has described its three provincial people's assemblies held in Gauteng, Mpumalanga and the North West at the weekend as successful in a statement issued on Monday. The party added that none of the assemblies were "disrupted".
This follows reports of allegations that EFF leader Julius Malema's bodyguards had fired live rounds at members at a provincial people's assembly meeting in Midvaal at the weekend.
The Midvaal police station in Meyerton could not confirm the incident, while national police spokesperson Vish Naidoo told News24 that he was also unaware of the alleged shooting.
The chairperson of the EFF Student Command at the University of Johannesburg's Soweto campus, Mphahlele Phasoane Mpho, on Sunday alleged on Facebook that members of the "Defenders of the Revolution" (DOR), as Malema's security team is known, opened fire on EFF members who were attacking his car with stones and bottles.
"We managed to be safe all of us, after DOR came and attacked us innocently chilling awaiting results of the assembly. Unfortunately, its only one cadre who was beaten to unconsciousness and he's in hospital, sure to head to ICU because his condition was brutally unappealing (sic)."
Mpho alleged that "the DOR that was instructed by Julius" and "nearly killed our people".
The post has since been removed.
Police still probing Malema's rifle incident
According to The Citizen, the meeting went awry over unhappiness about the suspension of Abednego Mathole, who some members wanted elected as provincial chairperson.
Quoting unnamed sources, the paper reported that Malema's vehicle was attacked by members of this "faction" and that his security team responded by allegedly firing live rounds and attacking members, beating one so badly he had to be hospitalised.
It is clear from Mpho's Facebook feed that he is a supporter of Mathole.
Mathole was expelled from the EFF for allegedly assaulting EFF secretary general Godrich Gardee.
Mathole was also reportedly critical of EFF deputy leader Floyd Shivambu when the latter assaulted a journalist outside Parliament in March.
Quoted by Sowetan, Mathole also claimed that live rounds were fired by Malema's bodyguards during the scuffle.
In July, Malema caused an uproar after allegedly firing an assault rifle at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane in the Eastern Cape during the party's fifth birthday celebrations.
Police are still investigating that incident after civil rights group AfriForum opened a case at the Lyttelton police station in Tshwane on August 1.
Mpho didn't respond to messages asking for comment.
EFF spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, Malema and Gardee could not be reached for comment.
