EFF leader Julius Malema last night laughed off the resignation of the eight Mpumalanga members saying he thought they left long ago.

The eight announced their resignation from the party which concided with Malema's five-day visit in the province

"I am here addressing communities and do not know what they are talking about," Malema said when asked about allegations levelled against him and other EFF leaders.

The eight leaders, led by party chief whip in the provincial legislature, Ayanda Tshabalala, downed their red berets yesterday during a press briefing in Nelspruit.

Malema is in the province to listen to communities' concerns in the lead-up to a big rally on Saturday.

Tshabalala, who occupied one of the only two seats the party won in the legislature, said she and the other seven were resigning because the two-year-old party was in tatters, run by "corrupt megalomaniacs".

"In my letter of resignation, I indicated to Julius that it is the morphing of the EFF into an unrecognisable, treacherous, ugly formation in his destructive hands, and that is the reason I neither want to contribute or be associated with it any longer," she said.

She accused "the disingenious" Malema, EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu, secretary general Godrich Gardee and spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi of putting "yes people" in key positions while sidelining voices of dissent.

"Old men and women of great intellectual capacity have been reduced to stooges who run around at the command of the CiC [commander in chief], or SG [secretary general], just to remain in his favour. You dare question anything, you will be met with a barrage of harsh and condescending words," she said.

Apart from alleging that R1.2-million from the provincial party's caucus fund was yet to be accounted for, Tshabalala also said that Malema and Shivambu had ignored her numerous reports of women who were asked for sexual favours in return for positions.

"To this day, I have heard of no perpetrator being brought to book about such conduct," Tshabalala said.

The ex-fighters - Celi Nkambule, Caleb Sibitane, Colisile Mavimbela, Sammy Nkosi, Khanyisizwe Mkhatshwa, Predicious Mbalati and Veli Manzini - were leaders of the party in the province's Gert Sibande, Nkangala, Ehlanzeni and Bohlabela regions.

Tshabalala and the ex-fighters said they were yet to decide their political futures following their resignations.

EFF Mpumalanga leader Collen Sedibe said the party had been "waiting for this day", referring to the press briefing to announce the resignations. "In fact we were aware of their many secret meetings with [premier] DD [David] Mabuza who promised them jobs and tenders for destabilising the EFF and recruiting EFF members into the ANC." But Mabuza's spokesman Zibonele Mncwango said the EFF was trying to taint the premier for their own internal political chaos.