Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor Athol Trollip might survive the vote of no confidence in him on Thursday, but his days are numbered and he will not see the end of his political term in office, Economic Freedom Fighters commander-in-chief Julius Malema told a packed Nangoza Jebe Hall in New Brighton on Wednesday evening.

Malema said there were people who were upset with the EFF leadership for deciding to vote against the DA in the Metro.

“You must ask yourself why you voted for the EFF,” he said.

Malema said there were several issues in the EFF manifesto, including minimum wage, land expropriation without compensation, increasing social grants and banning labour brokers.

ALSO READ: Another boost for Trollip as AIC switches sides too

“All of these manifestos of the EFF, there is nowhere where we said we would vote for the ANC. There is nowhere where we said, vote for us and we will vote for the DA. We never said that. None of you voted for us in order for us to vote for the DA. None of you voted for us in order for us to vote for the ANC.

“So, while we do the tactic of moving tables and playing [musical] chairs in order to deliver these things we promised you, why are you becoming angry and irritated?” he said.

Trollip’s days are numbered

Malema said Trollip could continue leading and that he did not care, but he added that Trollip would do so without the mandate or support of the EFF.

“If he wins, there is no problem. There will not be a war. It is democracy in action.”

Malema said they would accept the outcome of the vote of no confidence, but said EFF supporters should not have nightmares about the alliance between the DA and the Patriotic Alliance.

“As long as we have pronounced that Trollip is going, he will go. There may be a marriage of convenience tomorrow with gangsters and all that, but Trollip will not finish his term as mayor of Nelson Mandela [Bay]”

“Once the EFF have pronounced on you, we don’t stop. Tomorrow we will attempt to remove Trollip. If we fail tomorrow, we will come back again and, if we fail, we will come back again until we collapse him and teach him a lesson. We are going for him. We have taken a decision and there is no retreat.

“How many motions did [former president Jacob] Zuma defeat? Where is Zuma today? Who is Trollip who survives on some 50/50 arrangement? Zuma had 60% plus, but when the EFF said come here, motion of no confidence, he left running,” he said.

“Trollip, tomorrow, the day after, it doesn’t matter. We have declared that you are going and it will not change.”

“He must pass budget, he doesn’t have our vote. Whatever he wants to do with the municipality, we are not with him. He is alone until they come before us and tell us how we are getting our land,” he said.

‘I don’t hate whites’

“I don’t hate white people, I just love black people. I’m already in a relationship with black people,” he said.

“We will fight white dominance, white supremacy, whiteness, wherever it raises its ugly head,” he said.

ALSO READ: PA and DA sign pact ahead of Trollip no confidence vote

Malema said the party could stand up to whites because they had not taken any money from white people.
 
“They said we took the money of the farm owners to finance the EFF. Let me tell you, a new policy has been passed by Parliament where political parties must disclose their funders. The EFF will do the same thing. We have nothing to hide. We never took the money of a white man.

“We never took the money of a white man and that’s why we are the only party that stands up to the white man. No one in South Africa can do that except the EFF. All of them have taken the money of white people, and all of them are scared to change the property relations in South Africa because they are compromised by their business interests and their relationship with white monopoly capital. We are the only ones,” he said.

BLOEMFONTEIN – It was out with the old Free State premier and in with the new – apparently all costing the taxpayer a pretty penny.

Former premier Ace Magashule handed over to new Premier, Sisi Ntombela, at a farewell bash attended by several ministers in Bloemfontein on Wednesday.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) charge the celebration cost government R20 million.

One would expect there to be cake, but there wasn’t.

Ntombela, the former Free State MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, will take over from Magashule.

Magashule, the African National Congress (ANC)’s newly-appointed Secretary General, leaves behind an office filled with scandal since he assumed office in May 2009.

The former premier faces questions over his apparent involvement in the failed multi-million rand Gupta-linked Estina Dairy project in Vrede.

WATCH: Ace Magashule insists Vrede dairy farm was an asset to the Free State

In late January, a report surfaced about dodgy dealings involving his estranged daughter and the Free State Development Corporation.

On the day of his farewell, another report emerged involving a multi-million rand housing tender scandal, again involving his daughter.

Speaking at the farewell, the new premier said she was here to work.

Responding to a question from the red berets in Parliament about the reported expenditure, Deputy President David Mabuza said: “You are very correct to raise concern about this matter of a farewell party where money is going to be spent. We don’t have money, we have a lot of problems. So as leaders, we must use the little resources we have correctly.”

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the province said it was a case of de ja vu.

“Ace Magashule has a track record of ignoring cost containment measures in the Free State. In 2009 when he became Premier of the Province, his inauguration function together with his State of the Province Address (Sopa), amounted to R14.3 million.  Once again, he’s ignoring all the requests to contain costs in the province,” the DA’s Roy Jankielsohn said.

Attempts to reach the former premier’s spokesperson went unanswered.

eNCA

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PARLIAMENT – Parliament’s inquiry looking into state capture at state-owned enterprises will issue summonses to outstanding witnesses, including the Gupta brothers, Duduzane Zuma and Dudu Myeni. 

The committee on Public Enterprises met on Tuesday to discuss the way forward for the inquiry. 

Former SAA board chair Dudu Myeni repeatedly failed to appear before MPs, claiming she was too ill.

The Guptas’ lawyer told the committee his clients were out of the country, while former president Jacob Zuma’s son, Duduzane, also did not show when he was supposed to. 

However, there might be a snag, as the committee has no addresses where the subpoenas should be served. 

The #EskomInquiry also hears that summons are out but cannot be served because there are no residential addresses. The Guptas’ lawyers won’t accept the summons as they have no instruction from clients. Ms Dudu Myeni, who is still sick, won’t give committee her residential address

— Scapegoat (@AndiMakinana) March 27, 2018

The committee said it is deeply concerned by the threats made to the chairperson of the inquiry, Zukiswa Rantho. Rantho received an anonymous threatening phone call at the weekend. 

WATCH: SOE inquiry chairperson fears for her life

“The committee agreed that the matter must be reported to law enforcement agencies so that a security threat analysis can be done and proper action can be taken. The committee also believes the matter should be reported to the Speaker of Parliament,” it said in a statement.

“In its closed meeting, the committee has decided to accept affidavits from the individuals who have indicated their interest in making submissions to the inquiry. The committee set a final date of 13 April as the deadline for submitting the affidavits.”

The committee said it plans to finalise its report in May, with a final draft being tabled in the National Assembly in mid-June. 

eNCA