‘You can’t build a party on racial issues without constructive contribution,’ political analyst on EFF resignations
Political analysts have attributed the wave of resignations from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) to lack of constructive political ideology, rising tensions concerning racial issues, and ineffective governance.
Recently the red berets suffered a major blow when members of Parliament (MPs), Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane and Fana Mokoena left the party, lead by Julius Malema.
In August this year, IOL reported that EFF’s deputy president and close friend of Malema, Floyd Shivambu, left the party to join former president Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party).
His departure led to many members including EFF MP Mzwanele Manyi, founding member of EFF Student Command (EFFSC) Mpho Morolane, following in his footsteps and along with others from the party.
The wave of resignations had since sparked conversations about the party's political ideology and raised questions of why so many opted to leave the party.
Why are many members dumping the EFF for the MK Party?
Speaking to IOL News, political analyst, professor Theo Neethling, from the University of the Free State’s department of political studies and governance, said some of the reasons for the departure could be lack of commitment, constructive politics, and failure to show any ability to govern.
“The fact is that you can’t build a party simply on negative politics — on politics based on racial issues, racism and not making a constructive contribution.”
Neethling said the party’s actions in Parliament have eroded their support rather than accumulated more voters.
He said at this stage, the party was at a cross-road and Malema was its only unifying figure that keeps the party on the road.
“But, with the support that the Zuma and MK Party has got, the EFF has got a serious problem and it is interesting that initially Malema was anti-Jacob Zuma, and now Zuma is out of the [African National Congress] ANC,” Neethling said.
“But, Zuma’s party is attracting voters, not only voters, but also leaders from the EFF.”
Neethling said when the EFF was formed, it aimed to be an anti-corruption party and exposed corruption in the ANC, particularly focusing on Zuma.
“Zuma was the target in Parliament. This includes the pay back the money slogan, but the VBS scandal or tobacco scandal has seriously damaged the image of not only the EFF, but also Malema.”
Neethling cautioned that the party might face serious problems, unless it undergoes significant rejuvenation.
Another political analyst, Goodenough Mashego attributed the resignation of EFF members to the party’s declining relevance.
He argued that the party has abandoned its leftist tendencies, which allowed the MK Party to occupy the space and attract its members.
“The EFF was a party that really went out to show itself to be aligned with the leftist revolutions of Africa,” Mashego said.
“But, now a problem has arisen that the MK Party came into being and became the left of the left, and projected itself being that far from the left and further than where the EFF can be.”
Mashego criticised the party’s lack of response during Covid-19 outbreak, saying that people were looking for government interventions on why ministers were getting full salaries.
“The EFF really missed the moment there during the corona virus pandemic to come out and show itself to be a left-leaning party,” Mashego said.
“It didn’t show poor-pro worker tendencies. It was not one of those parties that were calling for ministers who were at home not working to take a sizeable salary cut.”
He said the MK Party emerged with the traits of a leftist agenda, focusing on anti-establishment rhetoric and tackling the land reform issue.
Mashego said the departure of Shivambu, Mkhwebane, Mokoena and others, should be seen as the party no longer being the alternative left party that people have been looking for — as the MK Party continues to attract people from marginalised communities.
“The EFF tried to be something that didn't work out, and needs to come up with ideas that show it to be more left than the MK Party,” he said.
“The EFF has been tested by co-governing and so on. People already know that the EFF talks too much and delivers nothing. The MK Party just talks now, because it's a new party and it will take the measures of the local government to really expose if it is actually going to be able to do what it is promising.”
Mashego said the EFF needed to redefine its identity and go beyond mere talk in order to represent the interests of the poor.
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