Julius Malema said the rise of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), formed by former president Jacob Zuma, led to a significant loss of votes for the EFF, particularly in key provinces such as KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), Gauteng, and Mpumalanga.

The party was relegated to fourth position in the national ballot with only 9.52% while the MKP claimed third position with 14.58% of the vote.

Malema acknowledged that the EFF's numbers have not returned to their 2014 levels, despite an increase in 2019.

Speaking in a television interview on Tuesday night, Malema attributed this decline to the MKP's influence, which he believes misled voters in KZN through ‘tribalism and backwardness’.

“The EFF suffered like all other parties because of the MKP…We are not where we were in 2014. We got certain numbers in 2014 and we increased those numbers in 2019 and that increase came from KZN.

“That is why in KZN, after the last election, we (saw our members reduced to) two members in the legislature.

“Our problem is in KZN and our people were misled and organised on the basis of tribalism, backwardness and lies in the main,” Malema said.

The EFF leader emphasised the importance of maintaining a “mass character and intimate relationship with the masses” to ensure the party's survival.

He also dismissed suggestions that his foreign policy stance may have contributed to the loss of votes, stating that he would rather lose votes than compromise his values by speaking ill of black people.

“I'd rather lose votes than agree that I must speak ill of black people so that I get elected to be a leader of SA. That means I'd be climbing on top of the people, using them to become what I want to become.

“”Even if I become president I won't enjoy it because you want to be the president to help the oppressed masses of our people," he said.

South Africa – Johannesburg – MK Party president Jacob Zuma. Picture: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers.

Malema also issued a stern warning to supporters of former president Jacob Zuma, cautioning them that Zuma's history of using and discarding those who support him would ultimately lead to their downfall.

Malema stressed that many of Zuma's former supporters have since abandoned him, leaving only his daughter Duduzile Zuma by his side.

“All the people who were in support of Zuma from the beginning, from when he was accused of rape, from when we made him president…all those people who supported Zuma, none is still with Zuma..so once he uses you, he throws you very far,” Malema said.

The warning comes amid a noticeable fallout between Malema and Zuma, following the defection of several high-ranking EFF members to the MKP.

Malema also revealed that the EFF had initially asked Zuma to endorse their party, but he instead chose to form his own party.

He said that the EFF would not have joined Zuma's party, but sought his endorsement to leverage his influence.

The MKP could not be drawn to comment on Malema's comments.