'I am very ruthless' - Malema warns fighters conspiring against him

Malema spoke at the party's 10th-anniversary gala dinner at Emperors Palace Hotel in Kempton Park on Thursday evening.

The gala dinner was attended by Marikana massacre widows, students from the writing competition, families of party leaders, and guests who bought tickets.

Malema detailed his relationship with his deputy, Floyd Shivambu, whom he says has never  “disrespected” him.

“Not a single day did I feel that Floyd is in the business of trying to betray me. He has never shown me any sign of disrespect.

“He has always shown maximum respect to me and always expressed his views to me in a respectful manner. There has never been a day where I thought me and Floyd will not see each other the following day.

“We have always looked forward to seeing each other, to exchange ideas robustly.

“But there’s something boring about him. Every time we drink, he waits until he gets sharp and then isolates me to a corner and wants to sharpen some ideas. He believes I didn’t hear properly, and that time I’m focused on dancing, even when I don’t know how to dance," jokes Malema.

"We complement each other, we are not in competition with each other. I have made it clear to Floyd, ‘The day you get tired of me, don’t go and organise against me, just tell me, ‘I think you have served your term, it is time to go’.

“I will leave without putting up a fight because I will know it is friendly fire and it comes from a good place."

Malema said the problem starts when people start organising against him behind his back.

"I am very ruthless against such people who do such things against me, so never try that with me.

“And he knows that because I have never lost a conference in my entire life and no one I have supported has ever lost a conference.

“I am very ruthless to people who organise things against me.”

Malema added that he also doesn't conspire against his colleagues.

" I don't play games and I do so without hesitation, I tell you in the face a war has been declared, let's fight. I am not a coward, I don't conspire against those I work with."

Malema's remarks come just a day after the party published names of some 400 public representatives who failed to arrange transport for members who wanted to attend the party's birthday rally.

The public representatives have also been banned from attending the celebrations.

The party is hosting an event with the diplomatic community at the Sheraton Hotel in Pretoria on Friday morning, while the big celebration are set to take place at FNB Stadium on Saturday.

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