“I Didn’t Go There to Beg Zuma": Malema Explains the Infamous 'Tea Party' with Zuma, Mzansi Not Convinced

• Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema has explained all the political decisions he's made recently
• Malema took the stage at a Siyabonga Rally in Tembisa to clarify why he negotiated a partnership with ANC and met with Jacob Zuma
• South Africans are not really moved by Malema's explanations with some saying that the EFF is merely a branch of the ANC

JOHANNESBURG - Julius Malema, the Commander in Chief of the Economic Freedom Fighters, took the opportunity at the Siyabonga Rally in Tembisa, Johannesburg to set the record straight about some of the political decisions he has made.

Malema defended his decision to meet former President Jacob Zuma at his home in Nkandla for the infamous 'tea party' as well as the EFF's decision to meet with the African National Congress for coalition negotiations.

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The EFF's decisions have been widely criticised, however, Malema says his critics simply don't understand how politics works. He went on to say that people who think that he has made bad calls as the leader of the party need to wait for the EFF's elective conference to choose a new leader, reports TimesLIVE.

Malema speaks on coalition talks with the ANC

Addressing the criticism of the Red Berets' decision to engage with the ANC, Malema told supports that he saw an opportunity for the EFF to deliver the party's resolutions much faster.

He stated that the EFF wants the ANC to agree to resolutions such as land expropriation without compensation, keeping clinics open for 24 hours as well as free sanitary towels for women, reports SowetanLIVE.

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Malema explained that the ANC holds the majority in Parliament and the EFF needs them to make changes to the Constitution to make the expropriation of land with compensation a reality. He added that when the ANC offered the Red Berets positions, they refused until the ANC agreed to their demands.

Malema defends decision to visit Zuma for 'tea party'

Malema addressed the criticism for his decision to visit Zuma at his home in Nkandla, saying that some people have blamed the party's poor performance at the local government elections to the tea party.

To those critics, Malema says he went to Nkandla to warn Zuma that his continued refusal to testify at the State Capture of Commission of Inquiry would lead to his arrest.

“I didn’t go there to beg Zuma for anything, I went there to tell Zuma to go to the Commission,” Malema said.

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South Africans react

Social media users were seemingly not swayed by Malema's explanations. Here's what they had to say:

@ThuleRobby said:

"EFF is a branch of the ANC. There's nothing wrong here."

@molomemi said:

"This speech seems to be responding to issues raised in the 'fake letter' purported to be from the Eastern Cape #coincidence?"

@vechoecho said:

"Not surprising, EFF always has been the ANC's fanatical league."

@VK90687734 said:

"The guy is in love with illegal immigrants."

EFF and Julius Malema slaughtering cows, 1 given to him by King Goodwill Zwelithini

Briefly News previously reported that in a quest to thank their voters for showing faith in their election manifesto, Economic Freedom Fighters are hosting a rally. The EFF recently embarked on a journey to out the African National Congress and the Democratic Alliance in the most recent local government elections earlier this month.

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The party’s Commander in Chief headed to Twitter to share a snap of their proceedings, saying they are slaughtering cows. In addition, Juju says one of the cows they are slaughtering is the one they received from the late AmaZulu King Goodwill Zwelithini back in 2017.

Malema says the bull was given to them as a gift and they will share it with the community or the children who are under the king’s leadership. He wrote:

“It was in 2017 when our father, the late Amazulu Nation King, His Majesty King Goodwill Zwelithini, gave us a bull. I'm happy it was the first one to be slaughtered today, and we will share it with Abantwana be’Nkosi tomorrow. Bayede.”

Source: Briefly News