Malema prefers to work with ANC in coalition government

EFF leader Julius Malema says while they are open to form a coalition government with any political party, their first preference is working with the ANC.

The EFF was overtaken by former president Jacob Zuma’s MK Party as the third biggest party in the country.

As at 4.20pm, the red berets had 9.48%, putting it in fourth place on the results board.

MK Party had 14.6% while the ANC was in first place with 40.2%, followed by the DA with 21.79%.

Speaking at the National Results Operation Centre in Midrand on Saturday, Malema said: “Negotiations of this nature need you to be ready to compromise on certain things but there are certain fundamental policies that you know are deal breakers.

“We want to work with the ANC because the ANC, when compromised, they are not arrogant. Even [DA leader John] Steenhuisen can come, we can talk,” he said. 

Malema said they are not willing to compromise on service delivery commitments with timelines and on land distribution.

Malema said they will demand that the finance minister position be given to his deputy Floyd Shivambu.

Malema said the party’s open border policy stance was not the reason they lost votes.

“Why didn’t this issue give [ActionSA leader] Herman Mashaba votes. Our problem is MK. MK took our votes that they had given us in 2019.

“There is no other explanation. If this issue was concerning [PA leader] Gayton McKenzie...with two seats [in the national assembly] would have gotten [more of] the votes,” Malema said.