READER LETTER | Malema has a beef with Cyril, not the ANC

leader Julius Sello Malema says the party can only go into coalition with the ANC if President Cyril Ramaphosa is not part of the governing party. Why? According to Malema, Ramaphosa is an agent of white monopoly capital. We've heard that before.

In other words, Juju is telling the governing party to get rid of its president if it wants to go into a coalition with it, should there be such a need, after elections. No, he is not telling it, he is commanding it.

It's an open secret that Malema does not like Ramaphosa. Why? Because the ANC president was part of the disciplinary committee that expelled him from the governing party. He has never forgiven him ever since.

However, Malema cannot dictate to another political party to get rid of its leader. That's bullying and he knows it. Actually, what he is doing is a ploy to discredit the ANC president. Will it work? There is no easy answer.

At local government level, particularly in Gauteng, EFF is in coalition with the ANC. It seems Malema has no problem with the ANC per se but with Ramaphosa. Otherwise, why allow coalition with the ANC at the local government but make a condition at national level? It does not make sense.

But here is an interesting thing: the ANC has indicated that it does not want to go to bed with the EFF.  It has made its stance clear.

Malema is close to ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile. Clearly, he would be comfortable to work with Mashatile. There is a view that the governing party's deputy president is open to having a coalition with the EFF.

I'm waiting for the governing party's response to Malema's statement. I'd like to hear their take on this matter. However, I doubt if it will respond. There is no need. But anything is possible in politics, especially during the silly season of elections.

Thabile Mange, Kagiso