Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema, on Monday, hit back against party detractors and at criticism levelled against him, which he noted accused him of divisive leadership and of being a dictator.

Malema was speaking during the party’s walkabout at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg ahead of its elective conference, where he pointed out that the accusations against him stem from his time in the African National Congress (ANC) Youth League.

The EFF will be holding its third elective conference between December 12 and 15.

This at a time when prominent members have left the party and have since joined former President Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe Party.

This includes resignations from EFF Deputy President Floyd Shivambu, Mzwanele Manyi, Busisiwe Mkhwebane and Dali Mpofu.

Malema lashed out at his detractors, questioning how they could join a party headed by a so-called divisive leader.

He said the consequence of divisive leadership is that nothing succeeds from it.

“…and you still join a party of a person who is a dictator. Why did you join it in the first place? Just stay home. Why do you join a divisive party? You came knowing that the President of the EFF is divisive, why did you join,” he said.

He noted that joining the party was a voluntary undertaking.

“You join the party, you did not know that the leader was divisive, and now you come here and say the leader is divisive. You joined voluntary, if you are not happy with the leadership, the door is open, you can leave now,” Malema stated.

He added that the EFF would not kow-tow to placate purveyors of a non-existing narrative.

“How can you build such a big organisation, continentally and in the diaspora, if you have a divisive leadership. Why would you bring so many people in the stadiums, packing stadiums, successful events of the EFF, if you are divisive,” he questioned.

He claimed that the EFF was a success, and the biggest black-owned organisation.

“The party is owned by its own people,” he said.

Further, the EFF leader denied that the party received any sponsorship “from white people”.

“If anything, it is white people who want it [the EFF] to die. But if keeps on going, irrespective of how they feel about it. So if you think we have a divisive leadership, it is not our baby, it is your baby to feed maltabela,” he said.

Addressing claims that party MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi was barred from participating in the party’s conference, Malema said he must not be brought into “shebeen gossip”.

“I don’t know what you want me to answer on Ndlozi because I never said anything about Ndlozi. If there is anything to communicate, we will tell you,” he told reporters.

JACOB ZUMA AND CYRIL RAMAPHOSA

Meanwhile, Malema denied any relationship between the EFF and Zuma’s MKP, citing that any relationship was “even worse now when MKP has made it its programme to recruit leaders of the EFF”.

However, Malema denied any problems with Zuma, stating that, if he wanted, he could have tea with the former President tomorrow.

“…but I don’t agree with him. My problem in South African politics is that I am not a pushover. No one can push me around... and I am hated for that,” Malema stated.

Pivoting to the country’s current president, Malema said his party would continue to raise questions on the Phala Phala matter.

“We told you Phala Phala will never die, for as long as the EFF is in Parliament… Even if the EFF was to die tomorrow…, we have 39 Members of Parliament for the next five years. There is nothing that is going to collapse. Those votes are there, they won’t collapse,” he said.

Malema said the party would be marching to the Constitutional Court on Tuesday, to highlight the “corruptness” of ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa.

“…and we will never stop highlighting how corrupt the ANC is and President Ramaphosa, and that does not clean President Zuma,” he said.