Members of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Zimbabwe are reportedly in Johannesburg, South Africa to assist in rallying support for the Julius Malema-led EFF ahead of the neighbouring country’s elections.
South Africa heads for polls on May 29, 2024, to elect parliamentary, provincial and local council representatives.
About 30 political parties are participating in the elections.
EFF has risen rapidly to become South Africa’s third biggest party in Parliament since it was formed in 2013 by Malema.
Malema, a former African National Congress (ANC) youth leader who was expelled from the ruling party, has become South Africa’s most outspoken politician, whose message that the ANC has failed poor Black South Africans has gained traction, particularly among unemployed and disaffected youth.
EFF Zimbabwe leader Innocent Ndibali told journalists that he and his delegation have been mobilising support for their South African counterparts and are attending EFF’s last rally to be held on Africa Day on May 25, 2024 at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.
“I am leading a delegation from my party in Johannesburg to mobilise Zimbabweans and other Africans with South African voting rights to come out in their numbers on 29 May 2024 and vote EFF. We have already received an invitation from the office of the party’s Chief Whip for the Africa Day rally,” said Ndibali.
The local EFF leader said the EEF South Africa’s final rally was significant ahead of the crucial polls.
“The EFF final rally on Africa Day is a significant day on the African calendar. As EEFs, we believe in togetherness and black emancipation. A win for EFF and its leader Julius Malema is a win for the continent and the black nation,” stressed Ndibali.
“We are going to South Africa not to influence their electoral processes, but purely to render political and moral support to our colleagues whom we share the same vision of one borderless Africa,”
Ndibali added that his party will continue to collaborate with all EFFs in Africa.
“EFF Zimbabwe stands in solidarity and continues to offer unwavering support to our sister organisations in Africa. We will continue to fight for economic justice and well-being of our brothers and sisters across the continent,” he said.
EFF South Africa has called for the nationalisation of mines and the redistribution of land to poor Blacks.
The party, which follows a Marxist ideology, says an economic inequality based on race persists decades after apartheid, with Whites generally rich and Blacks still poor.
Ndibali also challenged all EFFs to prioritise programmes and actions which alleviate hunger among citizens.
“This year, some countries in Southern Africa are facing severe food shortages as a result of El Nino induced drought. We are appealing to our colleagues to focus more on drought mitigation programmes,” he said.
The Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) has also expressed solidarity with Malema’s EFF claiming that ANC does not stand a chance of winning this year’s elections due to its failure to turn around South Africa’s economy.
Meanwhile, as South Africa braces for what may be a milestone election, reports say the ruling ANC will face its toughest election this month as most opinion polls predict it will lose its parliamentary majority for the first time.
Reports say the ANC is still expected to win the largest share of votes, but if it receives less than 50 percent as predicted, it will need the help of coalition partners to reelect the 71-year-old Cyril Ramaphosa.
