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EFF leader Julius Malema (Chelsea Ogilvie/News24)
Julius Malema has been elected as the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) president for a third term.
Malema was elected uncontested at the party's third National People's Assembly (NPA) in Johannesburg on Saturday night.
He was nominated by a delegate from Northern Cape for the position of president.
After he accepted the nomination, there was roaring applause in the plenary.
When Institute of Election Management Services chair Terry Tselane asked delegates if there were further nominations for the position of president, there was a chorus of "No" in the room.
Godrich Gardee was elected as the party's new deputy president – his was the only position that was contested.
A delegate from his home province, Mpumalanga, Esther Molepo, nominated herself for the position. She, however, did not meet the threshold.
Marshall Dlamini and Omphile Maotwe retained their positions of secretary-general and treasurer-general respectively.
Leigh-Ann Mathys was elected as the deputy secretary-general, while Nontando Nolutshungu is the new national chairperson.
READ | Malema's slate for EFF leadership excludes Ndlozi, but the 'ground favourite' may shake things up
Tselane explained to delegates that 66 members would be elected to the full complement of the national leadership structure.
According to EFF rules, this would mean a minimum of 33 leaders are women. Independent elections committee chairperson, advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, dissolved the party's national leadership structure. When he announced the dissolution, party leaders hugged one another with smiles.
Delegates go around the main hall chanting “Lekgatla le ka la Malema, Ge baka mmolaya batle retseba ngwago” (“Politics have changed this year.” And “this conference belongs to Malema if they kill him, they will know us”.) (Chelsea Ogilvie/News24)
EFF delegates nominate members for the party's Top Six. (Chelsea Ogilvie/News24)
Malema, other members of the top six, and the central command team then walked to take their seats where members of their respective provinces sat.
Ngcukaitobi walked party delegates through the rules of the election process. He said his committee's role is to certify the elections in accordance to the constitution and electoral guidelines of the EFF.
He said the elective process complied with the constitution and the National People's Assembly rules. He also declared that the candidates were all eligible and the election procedures were free and fair.
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