No chance of EFF coalition with 'hostile' DA, says Julius Malema

23 April 2019 - 17:17
By Amil Umraw
Julius Malema says the EFF will not enter into any coalitions with the DA after the elections.
Image: Alaister Russell/The Sunday Times Julius Malema says the EFF will not enter into any coalitions with the DA after the elections.

EFF leader Julius Malema says his party will consider coalition talks with the ANC after the general elections next month - but not with the DA.

Speaking to the media while visiting his party's stand at the Rand Easter Show in Johannesburg on Tuesday, Malema said the DA was "biting the hand that feeds them". He was referring to accusations illustrated on DA election posters that allude to the EFF's alleged involvement in the VBS bank controversy.  

"After insulting us like that, they expect to come and call us to sit and share a government ... I don’t think it will work. We are giving the DA power in Tshwane and Johannesburg. They are biting the hand that is feeding them and expect that hand to continue feeding them. It's unscientific; it won't work," said Malema.

"On the other hand, we have the corrupt ANC, which is hell-bent on stealing the peoples' resources.

"We absolutely don't have a problem - like we did in Tshwane now, when they elected the current mayor of Tshwane, we did not get involved. We just folded our arms.

"They are going to pass a budget now, we are going to fold our arms. If that municipality collapses, let it collapse. Let the people of Tshwane go back to elections and decide what they want … The voter always puts us in a compromised position. Whatever choice you make, you are compromised."

Malema said the EFF will consider coalition talks with the ANC because the governing party has "not been hostile".

"We will go to discussions with the ANC. The ANC has not been hostile to us. The ANC has not been engaged in violent activities against us. We will listen to them and if they don’t make sense, we will show them the door," he said.

"I don’t imagine myself sitting with [DA leader Mmusi Maimane] again on the same table after he said we stole the money of VBS, even when there is no such evidence of stealing money. He just went on a rampage against us."