Malema warns: ANC's arrogance may pave the way for Steenhuisen's presidency
EFF leader Julius Malema warns that ANC arrogance could open the door for DA's John Steenhuisen to become president, should opposition parties unite in a motion of no confidence.
Image: File
EFF leader Julius Malema has warned that South Africa could soon find itself led by a white president - specifically Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen - if the African National Congress (ANC) continues what he calls a reckless and arrogant approach to governance.
According to Malema, a united opposition could remove President Cyril Ramaphosa through a motion of no confidence, and the EFF could then abstain from voting for a new president, effectively allowing Steenhuisen to rise.
“This country will have Steenhuisen as a president if the ANC is going to behave the way it’s behaving,” said Malema. “We abstain. And the ANC loses. We abstain.”
The comments come amid political turbulence following the MK Party’s motion of no confidence in Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana.
Malema made these remarks at a press briefing held at Winnie Madikizela-Mandela House in Soweto, Johannesburg, on Monday, April 28.
The EFF has rejected the motion as insufficient. “It doesn't make sense,” Malema said. “They are well entitled to make those decisions. But where they are rightful, we will support them, but we don't think that is the way to go.”
Malema argued that the real political accountability lies not with the finance minister but with Ramaphosa himself.
“If they meant business, they should put a motion of no confidence against the president. Then, we will know that we have the role to play and to put this matter to rest.
“He is the man responsible for every mess we are experiencing today.”
The EFF leader went further, attacking the National Treasury as a captured institution protecting apartheid-era interests.
He defended former president Jacob Zuma’s removal of former finance minister Pravin Gordhan, claiming Treasury officials plotted to collapse the state by threatening to leave with the Persal PIN, the system used to pay public servants.
“That’s how they prepared their way to collapse the state in favour of an individual, which is treasonous,” Malema claimed.
He suggested the budgeting function should no longer sit with Treasury but be placed under political leadership to reflect a democratic mandate.
“If the law doesn’t have a lawful mandate, it means this country is being held back by Treasury,” Malema said, adding, “The police are very scared of the Treasurer. Very scared of the Treasurer.”
Malema also accused the ANC of hypocrisy and selective engagement with the EFF, warning that they only seek the EFF’s support in moments of crisis.
“Be rest assured, we are going to fold our arms. Where they will be needing us? And they will lose,” he said.
He reflected on what he sees as the ANC’s long decline, stating, “The decline started in 2016 when they lost the metros. And then the whites took the metros. Because of this reactionary attitude of devil and fire.”
“All political parties in South Africa except EFF are white controlled. The same goes for MK Party, by the way, they are white controlled,'' Malema said.
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