What was billed as
one of the grandest political events of the year so far has plunged South
Africans into a state of confusion after details of Friday’s meeting between
EFF leader Julius Malema and former president Jacob Zuma were kept a closely
guarded secret.
Arriving in a helicopter shortly before 1pm at Zuma’s home
village of Nkandla, 215km from Durban, Malema and his entourage – including
former EFF chairperson advocate Dali Mpofu, party spokesperson Vuyani Pambo and
close Zuma ally and Ekurhuleni mayor Mzwandile Masina – were whisked away from
the helipad several metres outside the former head of state’s vast homestead
into the controversial R246 million Zuma home.
Also among the visitors was ANC national executive
committee member Tony Yengeni. While Masina has been a vocal supporter of
Zuma’s, Yengeni’s presence is sure to raise some eyebrows within the ruling
party.
The travelling party remained enclosed inside Zuma’s home,
otherwise known as Kwadakwudunuse, for close to five hours before emerging in
black luxurious German sedans that whisked them to the helipad before flying
into the Nkandla sunset as they departed.
The meeting comes in the wake of the 78-year-old former
head of state blatantly defying to adhere to the Constitutional Court’s
judgment ordering him to appear before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into
Allegations of State Capture headed by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.
Addressing the media outside Zuma’s homestead afterwards,
Pambo said the meeting had gone well but did not disclose further details to
the gathering of reporters.
Pambo said there had not been a theme for the meeting put
out to the public or media, but the agenda between the former leader of the ANC
Youth League and the former ANC and state president was tea.
Pambo said the media had not been invited to Nkandla, and
they were only talking to the media as a courtesy.
“The meeting went very well, the tea was nice and sweet,
very hot. So you know the practice of having tea is such that it’s a slow
process, you can’t just gulp it like you drink other things so you have to take
your time,” was all Pambo would tell the media. IOL
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