Paul Mashatile welcomes Lucky Shongwe, a former EFF councilor and chief whip expelled by the party, back into the ANC fold. Picture: Screenshot.
The ANC’s official Facebook page, MyANC, posted a video in which expelled EFF member Lucky Shongwe proudly joins the ruling party.
“My name is Lucky Shongwe, a former PR councillor of the EFF in the city of Mbombela and a chief whip of the EFF in the city of Mbombela,” he says, standing next to ANC MP Paul Mashatile, who has his arm around the former EFF member and is beaming like a proud parent.
“I was expelled for no reasons, now I have seen that I took a wrong step. Actually, I went to be adopted by wrong parents,” Shongwe continues.
“I know very well where I come from, I’m back home in the ANC … And I’m not coming alone.”
Shongwe is possibly hinting that other EFF members who have been disciplined or expelled from the party either already have joined the ANC or plan to do so.
It was reported in May that the EFF had charged 13 proportional representation (PR) councillors who work in some Mpumalanga municipalities with various alleged offences, including poor performance and defying its instruction to pay a 10% levy from their salaries to its coffers every month.
READ MORE: 13 Mpumalanga EFF councilors charged
Shongwe was one of the 13.
Responses to the video varied, with many applauding Shongwe’s move and welcoming back, unsurprisingly, as the video was posted on a page largely followed by ANC supporters.
Others, however, criticise Shongwe’s change, accusing him of “chasing tenders” and practising “stomach politics”.
“You promised him money,” one user commented.
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