RISE Mzansi’s Johannesburg mayoral candidate says EFF leader is threatened by #VoteAmaselaOut campaign
A fierce political war of words has erupted ahead of the 2026 local government elections, with RISE Mzansi Johannesburg mayoral candidate Lukhona Mnguni launching a scathing attack on EFF leader Julius Malema.
Mnguni accused Malema of “running his mouth” about him and trying to undermine his political credibility.
In a strongly worded statement on X, Lukhona Mnguni said Malema was pretending that respected South African intellectuals had never entered politics, citing Charlotte Maxeke, Sol Plaatje, Jordan Ngubane, Anton Lembede, Rick Turner, Fatima Meer and Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng as examples.
“No one, including Julius, will dictate how we serve our country,” said Lukhona Mnguni.»
The RISE Mzansi candidate also accused Malema of deliberately directing “unnecessary traffic” toward his campaign.
Lukhona Mnguni then turned up the political heat, saying the EFF leader should focus on what he called the “Mazotti slush fund”, his alleged friendship with rogue General Khan, and his “dwindling political career.”
The explosive exchange comes as Lukhona Mnguni campaigns to lead the City of Johannesburg under the slogan #VoteAmaselaOut, which he said represents a commitment to removing corruption from the metro.
According to Mnguni, the slogan has unsettled political opponents because it signals a serious anti-corruption drive for Johannesburg.
He pointed to RISE Mzansi leader Songezo Zibi’s work at SCOPA, particularly in scrutinising the Road Accident Fund, saying corrupt officials in Johannesburg should prepare for similar accountability.
“Similar fate awaits Amasela in the City of Joburg. They better start packing up,” warned Lukhona Mnguni.
In one of the sharpest lines of his statement, Mnguni accused the EFF of offering political theatrics rather than genuine solutions for residents.
“Residents of Joburg will choose CHANGE. They will choose PROGRESS. They will choose real SOCIAL JUSTICE. Not ‘toy’ gun ‘soldiers’,” said Lukhona Mnguni.
The public clash between Lukhona Mnguni and Julius Malema is expected to intensify the battle for Johannesburg, where corruption, service delivery failures and coalition instability are emerging as key election issues ahead of the 4 November 2026 municipal vote.
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