EFF leader Julius Malema. (Photo credit: Gallo Images/Sharon Seretlo)
EKonomic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema has defended his previous comments about JJ Thabane. frank dialogue The party has indicated it would consider forming a coalition with the ANC if EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu is given the post of finance minister.
Malema also said at an EFF media event in Johannesburg on Friday that Eskom would begin stage six of load reduction the day after the May 29 elections.
He said on Friday that no one can say that Shivambu should not become finance minister because he did not steal money.
“Floyd did not steal money, and only an illiterate person can reject a young intellectual. That person is talented and knows these things. It tells you in cents.”
“He can tell you, without reading anything, about every company in South Africa, the CEO, how much money they make and how much tax they pay.”
He added that Shivambu is a person who understands the country's economy, the continent and the world at large.
“He is highly qualified and is currently pursuing his third master's degree. He will be collecting it next week in London, rather than at the TVET university in Seshego.”
On Eskom and load shedding, Malema said: They're holding it there and damaging the grid.I also did this during the Rugby World Cup. [in 2023]kept the lights on as I was using the remaining reserves.
“When we came back from there, they said stage six so we could get back what we were using to keep the lights on for the World Cup.”
This is not the first time Mr Malema has criticized Eskom and electricity officials.
In May 2023, he said: “Within the next two weeks, we have been warned, darkness will come. We are almost at the point of grid collapse and that is a reality that South Africans need to know. “We are in a deep, deep crisis.”
On Thursday, Eskom said in a statement that it remained committed to eventually eliminating rotating power outages, although there had been 21 days without load shedding.
The utility has kept the lights on for at least 535 hours, a feat accomplished almost two years ago, the statement said. “This is the result of sustained generation capacity, adequate emergency reserves and reduced demand for electricity from the grid. Eskom last achieved a similar milestone in June 2022,” he said. There was no load reduction for 20 consecutive days.
Mr Malema said on Friday that Eskom was not saying it had ended load shedding, but rather that it remained suspended. Malema also said there was no sabotage at Eskom, but rather that those in charge did not know what they were doing. “Spatra” [Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa] I'm busy with nothing. ”
