Africa-Press – South-Africa. Describing himself as “ruthless” against people who conspire against him, EFF leader Julius Malema said his deputy and closest ally, Floyd Shivambu, should be frank with him if he wants to see Malema gone.
Speaking to guests at the EFF’s 10th birthday gala dinner at Emperors Palace on Thursday evening, Malema said: “Floyd and I complement each other very well. I have made it clear to Floyd that the day you get tired of me, don’t organise against me. Just tell me, ‘I think you have served your time.’
“The problem would start when [someone organises] against me, and I hear it in the corners; I am very ruthless with people who do that, and Floyd knows that,” Malema said.
Among the guests at the event, where it cost up to R1.2 million to rub shoulders with Malema, was controversial tobacco tycoon Adriano Mazzotti and his business partner, Mohamed Sayed.
Mazzotti was not only a guest at the EFF’s gala dinner but was honoured by Malema in his speech when the EFF leader praised him for helping to fund the EFF’s first election contestation after its founding in 2013.
His opening remarks were dedicated to Mazzotti, who he called a brother who helped fund the EFF at the time of its founding.
Malema said he and Shivambu had no idea how they would fund the party, but Mazzotti helped rescue them by paying for their first registration as a party.
Mazzotti has had a close relationship with Malema for years.
The EFF leader said Mazzotti had never been arrested, and he and the EFF had no interest in what Mazzotti or any other did to make money.
“When the IEC (electoral commission) asked us for money and Floyd had nothing, we looked each other in the eyes and asked, what is going to happen? They asked for R650 000 at that time, and we had no means. We were later told through a telephone call from Mazzotti that ‘brother, the money is paid.’
“That is how the EFF was allowed to contest the first elections. We are not afraid to be associated with Mazzotti. We do not know his business because he is not our business partner; he donated money to the EFF like all of you here,” Malema said.
Among the high-profile figures at the gala dinner were UDM leader Bantu Holomisa and suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane.
Former president Jacob Zuma’s former lawyer, Daniel Mantsha, and former Transnet CEO, Siyabona Gama, were also present.
Guests were treated to a three-course meal and made toasts with bottles of Moët & Chandon.
Malema spoke broadly about the founding days of the EFF and the difficulties he and Shivambu faced after their expulsion from the ANC.
He said the EFF was still determined to see citizens’ freedom through economic freedom and added that the EFF’s policies were friendly for business, despite its opponents claims to the contrary.
“Businesses would be able to benefit from an environment where they lease land from the government,” he told business leaders at the event.
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