According to an eNCA statement on Twitter, management took the decision after the EFF barred several news organisations from covering the event.

“These, according to the SA National Editors Forum, include the Daily Maverick, Scorpio, amaBhungane, and Rapport. eNCA has pulled its editorial and technical team from the event in Johannesburg. eNCA has to take a firm stand on media freedom by standing in solidarity with those organisations that have been barred from attending,” the statement said.

EFF leader Julius Malema told delegates that, "Since eNCA has withdrawn from our conference it means they will not be allowed to cover any EFF events. They must bring it on. Adriaan Basson [News 24] says they will ask questions on behalf of amaBhungane; we ask no problem with the media holding us accountable. He [Basson], amaBhungane were not babes from any conference, but all activities." 

The EFF conference started on Friday and will end on Monday. Among those attending the conference are members of the Liberty Movement Struggle, Zimbabwe's Zanu-PF, and soccer bosses Kaizer Motaung and Irvin Khoza. 

"The EFF has made politics popular, particularly Parliament. More people are now watching parliamentary TV than before. The EFF has discovered its mission and we vow never to abandon it," said Malema. 

Issues to be attended to included that white South Africans earned "three times" more their black counterparts. He also lauded the so-called "Fees Must Fall" activists. 

"In our six years of existence, we have witnessed braveness. The Fees Must Fall generation resemble the generation of [Steve] Biko. It cannot be that education is the key, but the key is only available to those who have money," he said. 

African News Agency