APA-Johannesburg (South Africa) South Africa’s third opposition party, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), celebrated its 10th anniversary in Johannesburg on Saturday, with party leader Julius Malema praising supporters for defying doomsayers who had given the organisation little chance of survival.
Addressing a packed FNB Stadium in Johannesburg’s Soweto, Malema said the EFF’s survival proved the nay-sayers wrong by growing and expanding “beyond all expectations.
Over the last decade, the party had garnered one million members and was currently the third biggest party in the country, the EFF leader told supporters.
Malema paid tribute to Cuban leader Fidel Castro and the Cuban people whom he credited for inspiring the formation of the EFF as well as the 34 mineworkers that the police shot dead at Marikana in North West province for giving birth to the party.
“To the widows of Marikana, who must today know that the sacrifices made by their husbands, sons and brothers of the 16th August 2012 massacre, were not in vain,” Malema said.
He added: “We are standing here, turning 10 years old in front of the country, the continent, and the world because of those brave mineworkers.”
Malema said corruption was rife in the country and the party planned to deal with it decisively once it got into power after the 2024 general elections.
Observers, however, say it is unlikely that the EFF will be in the driving seat following next year’s general elections, citing the party’s abrasive approach that could scare off some conservative black voters.
Its outspoken and controversial politician, who has been accused of promoting hate speech, has ruffled feathers across South Africa by criticising government performance, and pushing for Zimbabwe-style acquisition of land from white farmers without compensation as well as the nationalisation of mines.
NM/jn/APA