EFF ‘masters of ideological tactics’, attracting disgruntled ANC members

Julius Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) may be notorious for flip-flopping and rogue public behaviour, but the red berets are masters of ideological tactics – an attribute that has put it way above other left parties.

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This is the view of political analyst Sandile Swana, who said despite its weaknesses that could cost it crucial votes, the EFF had distinguished itself not only in rhetoric but ideology.

He said the party had been able to usurp the roles that should be played old parties on the left.

“Under Julius Malema, the EFF has positioned itself as the vanguard and the united front of the PAC [Pan Africanist Congress of Azania], Azapo, United Democratic Front and been able to mix the ideas of Oliver Tambo, Steve Biko and Robert Sobukwe.”

“Anybody who subscribes to those ideas will then fall into the EFF in one way or the other,” Swana said.

He said the EFF made it attractive to some disgruntled ANC members and the youth in particular because of the clarity it gave on ideological issues.

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“The party was not shy to pronounce itself publicly as a representative of the poor and the marginalised and to walk the talk on it. Its campaigns were based on the interest of the lowest sections of the population,” he said.

He said its policies were close to those of the ANC and it became attractive to disgruntled ANC members.

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“An example was the fact that some former ANC members, instead of aligning themselves with Ace Magashule’s African Congress for Transformation, opted for the EFF,” he said.

Among those were Mzwanele Manyi, Magasela Mzobe and Busisiwe Mkhwebane and there were signs that more unhappy ANC members could take up EFF membership towards the 2024 general election.

‘Their ideas are clear’

Swana said the EFF was intellectually and ideologically better to deal with.

“You may not agree with their ideas or approach but their ideas are clear. It is a Leninist-Marxist organisation that also believes in Fanonism, which is black consciousness of one kind or the other,” Swana said.

He was of the view that the ANC is an intellectual muddle and an ideological mess caught in a dilemma of whether to be a socialist or a neoliberal party.

“You cannot pin-point where they are going ideologically because there is no ideological clarity in the ANC,” Swana said.

He said the ANC was indecisive on policy matters due to its confused ideology and poor intellectual capacity.

“When they act decisively it is in the deepening of crime and corruption in the state as well as the culture of nonperformance,” Swana said.