Richards Bay – A war of words has erupted ahead of a planned visit this coming weekend to Esikhawini near Richards Bay by Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema.
The African National Congress (ANC) in the Musa Dladla Region on Wednesday criticised reports on social media networks that members of the EFF were planning to destroy an ANC Memorial Arch built close to Esikhawini Mall, the venue where Malema’s manifesto rally is to be held on Saturday.
In a statement, issued on Wednesday, the ANC’s regional secretary Tholi said the ANC had “noted [social] media reports about one EFF leader who is said to visit Esikhawini this weekend and their visit to the memorial arch.”
He said the ANC regional executive committee had no problem with any party visiting any area, but he warned against “misbehavior” and that the party would defend the memorial arch “purely because it is the property of the ANC”.
“No EFF member died at Esikhawini, only ANC members. We have no problem with people feeling nostalgic, but they should not tamper with organisational material,” Gwala warned.
“If there are any members of the EFF that miss the ANC or want to join us, they must seek membership forms.”
On Monday, the EFF held a press conference to address what they called “public misinformation portrayed by the media” leading up to Malema’s visit.
EFF’s uThungulu regional chairman, Bheki Shabane, denied Malema’s visit was part of a plot to “obliterate the ANC’s history by destroying the monument”.
Shabane said: “We are calling on the ANC to desist from making unfounded accusations about the EFF. We appeal to the people from Esikhawini and surrounding areas to come and listen to our leader deliver the party’s manifesto.
“We assure the people they will be protected, as the EFF is a peace-loving movement,” he said.
EFF regional secretary, Nkululeko Ngubane, however, encouraged members to protect themselves if attacked.
Ngubane claimed that performances by music artists Hlengiwe Mhlaba and L-Vovo at a nearby venue at the same time as the planned EFF visit was “a transparent attempt” to prevent people from coming to listen to Malema’s speech.
“We want to warn the ANC to desist from its intimidation tactics, because we will not fold our arms and watch them terrorising our members,” said Ngubane.
Esikhawini is about 25 kilometres south of Richards Bay.
African News Agency