South Africa’s opposition Economic Freedom Front (EFF) party will win 65% of the votes when the results of the local government elections are announced, an ‘overly confident’ party leader Julius Malema has told supporters.
Malema, who said he was confident in the work put in by the party during its campaign across the country, said this after casting his vote at Mponegele Primary School in Limpopo on Monday.
Victory was “imminent for the party and that the youth vote could be decisive when all the ballots are counted,” he said.
“We are going to get 65% in Polokwane and the whole of South Africa. We are aiming for a decisive victory. We have done everything humanly possible, and have been to all corners of South Africa,” Malema said.
He added: “We are happy that our people have received the message because the EFF leadership was on the ground, so were the ground forces of the EFF. We can only hope for the best.”
Malema said the EFF was looking forward to a better outcome this year, adding that the party “covered the ground that was not covered in 2014, 2016 and 2019.”
“We have managed to cover the ground that was not covered in 2014, 2016 and 2019, and that’s what give us confidence,” Malema said.
He added: “At some point, we thought there was political apathy among the youth but the rallies of the EFF have changed that perception of voter apathy among young people.”
In September, Ipsos election poll findings predicted that the EFF, Action South Africa and other smaller parties would see an increase in the number of votes they receive – but not to the extent of the EFF taking 65% of the vote.
NM/jn/APA