Very Stupid And Personal: Malema Loses His Cool And Trashes EWN Journalist Over 2026 Elections

EFF leader Julius Malema clashed with EWN journalist Alpha Ramushwana after the reporter asked whether the party leader’s alleged links to controversial figures had contributed to the EFF’s declining support in the 2026 local government elections. Malema dismissed the question as personal and unprofessional, insisting that no voter had cited those associations as a reason for withdrawing support from the party.

The exchange took place during a media engagement that was recorded and shared online under the #LGE2026 hashtag. Ramushwana asked whether associations with individuals including Jothan Msibi, Mo Sayed, Feroz Khan and Ze Nxumalo had weighed on the party’s electoral performance. Malema responded sharply, rejecting the premise and describing the line of questioning in strong terms, before stressing that voters had raised service delivery, jobs and the cost of living rather than his personal relationships.

The clash comes at a time when the EFF is facing scrutiny over its performance in the local government elections. Early results reported in the media suggest the party has lost ground in some areas, and the party is under pressure to explain why its support has shifted. Analysts often point to several factors in such contests, including local candidate selection, service delivery failures in municipalities, and the broader national mood, rather than a single issue.

The question itself sits at the boundary between public interest and personal matters. In South Africa, journalists are entitled to probe the associations of political leaders where those links raise questions about governance, funding or judgment. The Press Council’s Code of Ethics and Conduct requires reporters to be accurate and fair, and to avoid unfounded claims. A question that connects a leader’s personal network to an election outcome may be legitimate if it is backed by verifiable facts, but critics argue it becomes unfair when it presents allegations as established without evidence.

Malema’s response also fits a broader pattern in which he has previously pushed back against media coverage he sees as hostile. For supporters, such responses show a refusal to be intimidated. For others, the sharp tone risks overshadowing the substance of the party’s electoral performance and the policy questions voters want answered.

The incident is likely to feed into wider debate about how the press and politicians should treat each other during election periods. Whether it fades as a passing row or becomes a point of focus will depend on whether the party addresses the underlying concerns about its support base, and whether further reporting on the associations named in the question produces verifiable evidence.

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