Thembinkosi Rawula. Picture from Facebook.
Economic Freedom Fighters MP Thembinkosi Rawula probably made his final statement about party leader Julius Malema and “the gang” on Wednesday before the party’s press conference in Braamfontein.
Taking to social media, Rawula confirmed his resignation from the party and claimed he did it to stop Malema from “abusing” his power by expelling him without a disciplinary hearing. Rawula also resigned to avoid the disciplinary hearing – had it been set in motion – which would have given him a chance to take Malema to the cleaners and “demonstrate your immaturity and your political bankruptcy”.
Rawula further gave Malema what he called “political lessons” on how to run an organisation such as the EFF, using examples from struggle stalwarts Peter Mokaba, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, and Chris Hani.
This, Rawula said, he did as a “political obligation” because Malema’s success in the ANC Youth League and EFF did not make him a senior.
He said: “I would have failed in my political obligation if I don’t share the crystal reality. We are not equals, Julius. You remain a junior [to] me in terms of the liberation movement politics, which you and me stem from. Leave your gossips about proximity to leadership, I am not there.
“If you can abuse organisational power, with [the] little resources it has, there is no [telling] what you would do with the state power. Because state power comes with security apparatus, it means discerning views would never find expression under your leadership, you would refuse to be held accountable for state resources and use state resource for personal glorification in the process squander democracy in favour of a dictatorial system.
“I am giving you this political lessons because no one within your clique dares or [is] able challenge you when you vulgarise these important principles in which EFF revolutionary discipline and code of conduct is rooted from.”
Read his full letter below:
Rawula wrote his post, despite calls from Malema to retract all the allegations he had made against him, including alleging that Malema used EFF funds for his personal use. Rawula said a letter from Malema’s lawyers did not deter him, and said he would only make a retraction if the EFF leader could provide documentation proving his innocence in all the allegations.
Following his refusal to retract the allegations, Malema announced that he would personally sue Rawula for R1 million.
He said: “I’m suing your friend R1 million for having said I stole the EFF money. It’s not an EFF initiative, it’s between me and him and I’m taking him to the cleaners. He is to prove, in response to the letter where I said to him: ‘withdraw what you’ve saying, otherwise I’m taking action against you’.”
(Compiled by Vhahangwele Nemakonde)
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