Hanekom confirms Gardee meeting, but denies conspiring to oust Zuma
Former tourism minister Derek Hanekom has confirmed he had met with EFF secretary-general Godrich Gardee, but told News24 there was nothing untoward about the meeting.
Hanekom is the subject of allegations made by EFF leader Julius Malema that he had handed a list of MPs to the party who would vote against former president Jacob Zuma in a bid to oust him as head of state.
Speaking to party supporters on Tuesday, Malema said Hanekom, a national executive committee member, was ready to form a splinter party if President Cyril Ramaphosa's rival, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, at the Nasrec conference had won the race.
He has, however, denied this. In a brief SMS sent to News24, Hanekom, who refused to answer questions, said this was not true.
"I have said - not admitted - that at the time I met Gardee. His initiative, not mine. There is nothing with meeting a fellow MP, which is what we were at the time."