The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) recently celebrated their 10th anniversary in grand style with a vibrant and well-attended celebration at the FNB Stadium in Soweto. The event, dubbed: 10 Years of the Continuing Struggle for Economic Freedom, saw more than 90,000 passionate EFF supporters from across South Africa’s nine provinces come together to commemorate the milestone.
The highlight of the occasion was the charismatic speech delivered by party leader Julius Malema and a well-choreographed call for all South Africans to stand with him as the podium on which he stood all raising his fist.
This image will likely be remembered and replayed again and again for many years to come, as it marked a historic moment for opposition politics, not only in South Africa, but across Africa, where politics of the opposition has never really been able to challenge the status quo.
In his speech, Malema demonstrated his commitment not only to addressing South Africa’s domestic challenges, but also to positioning the EFF as a pan-African force that seeks to empower ordinary Africans. The EFF showed that it had ears and hearts to listen, and Malema’s speech vividly reflected the reality experienced by ordinary South Africans. He discussed the most important and urgent socio-economic and political challenges facing citizens, such as corruption, unemployment, injustice, reconciliation, education, health and political instability on the African continent.
He expressed his deep understanding of the daily struggles and aspirations of the South African people. The EFF’s self-proclaimed commitment to defending the interests of ordinary Africans, coupled with its empathetic approach to domestic issues, has reaffirmed its position as a formidable political force with a tangible connection to the hopes and dreams of the nation. Malema’s promise of free education up to tertiary level and eradication of historic student debt resonated strongly with young people burdened by the legacy of apartheid inequality.
Although this measure has the potential to ease the burden borne by many people due to the legacy of apartheid, many people have expressed concerns about the feasibility of these policies and their implementation. It is clear that some saw these promises as populist positions and campaign strategies.
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Currently, South African universities, particularly historically disadvantaged universities, are struggling to recover billions of rands owed by tens of thousands of students who were funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) or who have not benefited from any funding in higher education. establishments. Another major obstacle is the fact that many graduates in South Africa remain unemployed. This poses a challenge because funds are essential to the functioning and competitiveness of institutions.
Malema also spoke about the serious challenge of unemployment in the rainbow nation, particularly among the youth. He promised to create meaningful jobs for the country’s young population and expressed his intention to remove those employed under Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s jobs initiative, popularly known as Nas’ ispani, which he criticized as an ANC vote ploy rather than a genuine jobs initiative. He added that the fact that young people benefiting from the program were offered benefits and not salaries implied that it was an exploitative and campaigning ploy by the ANC.
Although the fight against unemployment is essential to the socio-political stability of the country, effective implementation of this promise could face difficulties. This also appears in the context of the EFF’s own election campaign and its populist rhetoric seeking to speak directly to oppressed and compliant electorates.
The issue of land redistribution and the EFF’s stance on land expropriation without compensation and equitable redistribution were also at the center of Malema’s speech, with the EFF pledging to nationalize land, including residential, agricultural, mining land and all strategic sectors of the economy, without compensation. This is a very consistent position in the party’s commitment to rectifying historical injustices, but it may raise concerns about property rights, which are key drivers of investment and the country’s economic stability .
Malema and his organization have notably demonstrated great strategy by positioning themselves perfectly at the regional level. Firstly, the party claimed that the people of Marikana had asked Malema to form a political organization after the Marikana massacre which saw 34 miners die at the hands of the South African Police Service. The organization was launched in Marikana, and once again during this 10th anniversary celebration, the party returned there to pay homage, commemorate and pay tribute to the 34 miners who lost their lives and highlighted that their struggles constitute the foundation of the party’s ideology. He also promised to arrest President Cyril Ramaphosa once the party is in government.
Second, we saw how Malema aligned the EFF with the Cuban Socialist Party and how he never hesitates to acknowledge the impact of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara on his leadership and the position of the EFF. The party was launched on the same day as the 60th commemoration of the July 26 movement, which owes its name to the failed attack on the Batista regime by guerrillas led by Castro. Even the party’s policies and ideological positions are socialist, Marxist, Leninist and Fanonian, which can be complex for many.
Additionally, he highlighted the party’s connection to Cuban ideology, demonstrating the EFF’s commitment to diverse perspectives.
The EFF has a footprint in regional issues emanating from Malema’s heated debates in the Pan-African Parliament. In his speech, he criticized Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga for allegedly destabilizing the country for political purposes and being a populist. This, however, has led some to argue that his views betray his inconsistency, particularly when Malema himself has also led marches such as #NationalShutDown in South Africa.
Therefore, he now seems to want people to oppose and disrupt the ruling parties only on his terms and conditions.
Furthermore, he called on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to allow fair elections without interference in the upcoming elections. He also advocated peace in several African countries, reaffirming the party’s commitment to Pan-Africanism and the vision of a united Africa with a shared army, currency and leadership. This is exactly what the late Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi said when he spoke of the United States of Africa. The main concern of African leaders has never been resolved: which country the president will come from and what the electoral commission and the structure of the economy will look like. The call thus transformed into rhetoric intended to appease Africans.
Internationally, Malema has spoken out unequivocally against Western imperialism through the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and frankly emphasized his party’s support for the invasion of Ukraine by Russia as a means of protecting itself from the encirclement of NATO military bases. He called on all BRICS leaders to boycott the BRICS summit in solidarity with President Vladimir Putin, who cannot attend the summit due to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Malema posited that Putin could be the West’s target today, but in the future any Brics statesman could be targeted. It is therefore important to rebel and challenge the Western imperialists.
Echoing former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, Malema told the West: “You can keep your AGOA, and we will keep our friendship with Russia. »
AGOA (African Growth Opportunity Act) is a law of the United States of America that facilitates affordable trade between African countries and the United States. It is also responsible for imports of products and investments that African countries receive from America. This assertive position illustrates the EFF’s proclaimed independence from external influences and its desire to foster alliances based on shared interests.
In conclusion, the EFF’s 10th anniversary celebration was a vibrant demonstration of its commitment to economic freedom and Pan-African ideals. Although some promises and positions may raise feasibility issues and require critical engagement, the event showed the EFF’s determination to challenge the status quo and make meaningful change. And more importantly, without fear of contraction, the EFF changed the course of politics and political representation in South Africa and Africa.
Nyasha Mcbride Mpani is Project Manager for the Data for Governance Alliance at the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation based in Cape Town. Yolokazi Mfuto is a Civil Society Liaison Officer at the Center for Human Rights at the University of Pretoria, South Africa.
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