06/07/2025
Malema’s revenge politics puts ANC on notice
Julius Malema could be using the no-confidence threat to pressure the ANC, warning that arrogance will cost the party once again.
FF leader Julius Malema has vowed the EFF will vote with the DA to oust President Cyril Ramaphosa in the mooted motion of no confidence.
If this move is successful, it could see DA leader and Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen becoming the first white president since the dawn of democracy in 1994.
Malema warns of ‘white president’
“I want to warn you that this country will have a white president. Steenhuisen will be president if the ANC is behaving the way it is doing,” said Malema yesterday.
“The motion of no confidence will come, we will vote with the DA. Then, when it is time elect a president, we will abstain and the ANC will lose.”
Although Malema undertook to vote with the DA, he said his party is not working with the DA.
However, the tone of Malema’s threat to vote out Ramaphosa appeared to be a complete rejection, but it also indicated a readiness to compromise – a veiled attempt to lure the ANC into agreeing to cooperate with the EFF.
MK party’s silence
However, Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party remains a dark horse in the debate, as it has not yet expressed its stance on the matter.
Some analysts believe it could surprise everybody by voting in Ramaphosa’s favour and, later, make demands to the ANC to accommodate it in the government of national unity (GNU), or strike a deal on Zuma’s criminal charges.
Political analyst Prof Dirk Kotzé said MK would usually vote against any DA proposal, which made it likely for them to side with Ramaphosa.
At the same time, the party could abstain to avoid being associated with either side as they also had issues with Ramaphosa, said Kotzé.
Is there room for persuasion?
There were fears that if all the political parties voted to oust Ramaphosa, considering the top four parties could cooperate to push him out, the president woul
