Malema: EFF hasn't met Numsa, Vavi

Johannesburg - Economic Freedom Fighters' leader Julius Malema has denied claims that he has met metalworkers' union Numsa and the Congress of SA Trade Unions' suspended general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi.

"I have never met Vavi.... There is no such discussion between us and Vavi, even Numsa. We are not in discussions with Numsa," Malema told reporters in Johannesburg on Thursday.

However, the EFF did want to meet the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa).

"We're creating an initiative to meet Numsa.... We think we're sharing the same ideological perspective and there is no need for us to disagree and fight publicly," he said.

Working class

Malema said the EFF welcomed the outcomes of Numsa's special congress, at which it decided not to support the African National Congress in this year's elections.

"All workers should be like Numsa and appreciate that the ANC is not and will never be a vehicle to liberate the working class, because they still believe that social grants and lousy RDP houses are means to emancipate the working class."

ANC national executive committee member Tito Mboweni and Vavi had a war of words on social networking site Twitter on Wednesday.

Mboweni asked Vavi if he had declined nomination to the ANC's list for Parliament because he was in talks with the EFF.