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Malema called a hypocrite after EFF gets R2.1m donation from Motsepe’s companies
'I am not sure Patrice Motsepe is a billionaire,' the EFF leader said in court last week.
EFF leader Julius Malema at the interviews for South Africa’s next Chief Justice on 1 February 2022 in Sandton. Picture: Gallo Images/Daily Maverick/Felix Dlangamandla
Netizens on social media were quick to remind the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema of his recent comments regarding Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe.
This comes after it was revealed on Tuesday that the EFF received donations from two of Motsepe’s companies.
During his cross-examination at the Equality Court last week, Malema suggested that Motsepe was pretending to be a billionaire.
“I am not sure Patrice Motsepe is a billionaire. I am not sure… sometimes I have [a] suspicion that [he is] an imposter. I am not sure. I don’t agree,” he said.
Malema was testifying in the hate speech case that AfriForum brought against him, his party and EFF MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, for allegedly singing the controversial struggle song Dubul’ibhunu, which translates to “shoot the boer” or “kill the boer”.
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Now it has emerged that the EFF accepted donations from Harmony Gold Mining Company and African Rainbow Minerals (ARM).
Motsepe is the founder of ARM, and is the current chairman of Harmony Gold Mining.
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on Tuesday released its third quarterly report on political parties’ donations received from donors, in accordance with the Political Party Funding Act (PPFA).
The EFF disclosed its donations for the first time ever, declaring a total of R3.1 million (R3,148,176.00).
According to the declarations report, the Red Berets received two payments of R1,099,088 from both companies, and people were quick to remind Malema about his criticism of Motsepe.
“The majority of us who know how Julius Malema is a hypocrite and flip-flopper aren’t surprised that the EFF got R2.2 million from Patrice Motsepe whom Juju insults at every chance he gets… [shaking my head]!!” one Twitter user said.
Motsepe’s net worth currently stands $3.2 billion (R48.3 billion), according to Forbes.
READ MORE: ‘I’m going to be the president of this country, whether you like it or not’: Malema tells AfriForum
This is not the first time Malema has publicly criticised Motsepe.
In 2018, the EFF leader accused the businessman of being a state capture threat.
“There is another capture that is happening which is led by Patrice Motsepe. We want to say, Patrice, we are watching. I warned about the Guptas in 2011. The Motsepes are also doing the same thing now. We love Patrice, he is our brother. But if he continues in his greed, we will fight him,” Malema said at the time.
Last September, Malema said the EFF did not declare any donations to the IEC in the previous quarters because the party was surviving through funds received from the commission, Parliament and party levies.
Meanwhile, Motsepe’s companies also made donations to the ANC, the Democratic Alliance (DA), the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and Freedom Front Plus (FF+).
The ANC received R5,853,969 from Harmony Gold, while the DA received a total of R2,115,019 from both ARM and Harmony Gold.
The IFP received a total of R687,588 in two payments, and FF+ got R484,438.
Political Party Funding Act
The 2018 PPFA came into effect on 1 April 2021.
It came after President Cyril Ramaphosa in January 2021 announced his decision to implement the Act following the National Assembly’s adoption of the bill.
The Act, signed into law in January 2019, establishes the mechanism on funds to be provided to political parties represented in Parliament and provincial legislatures to undertake their work.
Political parties that violate certain sections of the Act could receive hefty fines, ranging from R40,000 to R1 million.
NOW READ: Political party funding increase may be on the cards
