Is it time for the EFF to revise its political strategy?

ON JULY 26, 2013, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) was established as a new political party. It promised to reshape South African politics by breathing life into Parliament. This was not a voluntary decision.

- PROF BHEKI MNGOMEZULU

The party was formed following the expulsion of Julius Malema by the ANC and the subsequent exodus of other then and former ANC Youth League members who sympathized with Malema. Some of the youth who did not belong to any political party at the time saw the EFF as their political home thus giving hope about the future of this party.

After the 2014 general election, the EFF emerged as one of the high performers with 25 seats in the National Assembly. It came third following the ANC and the DA which obtained 249 and 89 seats respectively. This enviable upward trajectory continued in the subsequent election in 2019 where the EFF obtained 44 seats. There was optimism that the party would continue to grow until the newly formed MKP emerged on December 16, 2023 and participated in the 2024 general election. The MKP caused an upset to the EFF which was moved to position four and to the ANC which was reduced to 159 seats or 40.18%.

But one of the characteristic features of the EFF which gave it popularity was how it changed Parliament through its radical stance. Soon after the EFF joined, many South Africans got interested in following parliamentary proceedings. The EFF was also clear that it was going to ensure that politicians did not go to Parliament to sleep. It kept its promise.

Something unprecedented was when it confronted a sitting president directly and even flouted parliamentary rules. This is what happened with former president Jacob Zuma with its popular slogan “pay back the money”.