Durban — Two alleged EFF extortionists have dumped the Julius Malema-led Red Berets in favour of the uMkhonto we Sizwe Party (MKP) led by former president Jacob Zuma.
Speaking about his exit from the EFF, Anele Faku said: “I have decided to join the MK Party because the EFF has failed to walk the talk in terms of fighting for the aspirations of the downtrodden people.”
He denied allegations of extorting businesses in uMlazi, saying the rumour was hatched by his EFF internal opponents, who were bent on ejecting him from the party.
“I have not done anything to any businessperson. I have not extorted any business. I challenged the party (EFF) to provide evidence or open a case against me,” said Faku.
He lashed out at the party’s leadership, claiming that the allegations against him were “entertained” by the party despite the lack of evidence.
“The EFF has lost its touch, hence we are leaving the party. The leadership of the EFF is missing the plot.”
Faku and Bongumusa Mhlongo were introduced as new members of the MK Party Labour Desk on Friday.
Faku said his political reputation was “intact”.
“The EFF will never recover from the current downslide. I served the EFF well, but some leaders decided to persecute me as well as other party leaders. I’m glad because I leave the EFF with my reputation still intact,” he said.
Faku and Mhlongo were suspended by the EFF earlier this month.
At the time, KZN EFF provincial secretary Nkululeko Ngubane said: “We are taking full responsibility that some of our members might be behind extortion. We have received evidence that the members we have suspended were allegedly behind the extortion of businesses in uMlazi and Clermont, using the name of our organisation.”
Ngubane added: “We will not tolerate any of our members being involved in corrupt activities. That is why we have decided to suspend them immediately from the organisation.”
The letters of suspension, dated September 12 and addressed to Faku and Mhlongo, read: “It has come to our attention that you have engaged yourself in conduct that is contrary to the provisions of the EFF constitution, the EFF code of conduct and the Revolutionary Code of Discipline as a member of the EFF.”
The letters added: “You shall not participate in organisational activities for the duration of the suspension and disciplinary hearing unless advised otherwise by EFF officials.”
The Daily News reported earlier this month that several businesses in uMlazi, including taxi owners, were under siege from selected gangs, who allegedly demanded “protection fees” from them.
One of them was Mbuso Nzimande, a landlord in uMlazi, who said: “I don’t care even if I die, these have made my life very difficult. If they kill me, it’s okay. I don’t care. These guys want me to pay R4000 every time, and I can’t afford that.”
Nzimande owns several buildings in uMlazi and Chesterville. Drawing the line in the sand, Nzimande said: “If they kill me, it’s okay. These guys have destroyed my life. That is why I don’t even want to hide my name.”
It is alleged that a feared and prominent taxi owner in uMlazi is also extorting other taxi bosses, “taking” R50 from each taxi a day.
The police gunned down six alleged extortionists earlier this month in Hammarsdale. They were said to have been behind a series of murders and extortion in Durban.
The suspects were linked to a series of execution-style murders and also the extortion of local businesses in Hammarsdale and Mariannhill.
Following the murders, provincial police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said: “Police were tracing suspects who had shot five people and killed four of them execution-style on Siyaphambili Road in Tshelimnyama in Mariannhill.”
Netshiunda said the five deceased were sitting at the side of the road, drinking alcohol, when the men arrived armed with pistols and a rifle.
They allegedly ordered the seated men to lie down and shot them in the back of their heads.
In March, the Daily News reported that a criminal syndicate was terrorising small businesses, demanding “protection fees” from them to operate in Isipingo and uMlazi.
The exit of Faku and Mhlongo from the EFF follows the abrupt departure of the party’s deputy president, Floyd Shivambu, who is now the national organiser of the MKP.
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