The leader of South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Julius Malema has ruled out another meeting with former President Jacob Zuma, as tensions rise between their political parties following recent elections.
Speaking in Botswana on Friday, Mr Malema said: “We are political contenders… That’s where our relationship starts and ends.”
The statement comes as several high-profile EFF members defect to Mr Zuma’s newly formed uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) Party.
The defections include senior EFF figures Floyd Shivambu, Busisiwe Mkhwebane and Dali Mpofu.
Despite being less than a year old, the MK Party has already become South Africa’s third-largest political force, overtaking the EFF in the 29 May national and provincial elections.
Analysis: A dramatic political shift
The growing rift marks a significant change from 2021, when Mr Malema visited Mr Zuma for a highly publicised tea meeting at his Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal.
Mr Mpofu recently revealed he had been planning the MK Party with Mr Zuma since 2022, while still a member of the EFF.
Defending his party against the wave of defections, Mr Malema said: “You cannot destroy that which you have not built. The EFF is the future, and it cannot be destabilised by opportunism.”
The EFF is set to hold its elective conference next month, amid what some observers see as the party’s biggest challenge since its formation.
