Match made in heaven?

Within the domain of political analysis, there are two doctrines known as the “quantum probability theory” and the “quantum predictability theory”.

These theories are used to pre-empt political probabilities and possibilities. In 2010 I applied these theories to predict that the ANC would suspend Julius Malema in 2011.

I also said Malema would be expelled from the ANC before the end of 2012, and he would form his own party before the 2014 General Elections. I foresaw that Agang, the PAC, Azapo and Cope would amass less than 1% of the national vote in the 2014 General Elections. I also said the EFF would not rise above 6% in the 2014 General Elections.

The “scientific accuracy rate” of these empirical theories is phenomenal.

Since June last year I have been analysing the closeness between the EFF and DA at national parliament. The two organisations have forged a strange solidarity in parliament against president Jacob Zuma. It is strangely bizarre to imagine a collaboration between the EFF and DA. They are two opposite extremes in terms of doctrine and ideology.

The EFF economic policy seeks to expropriate land and wealth from white people. The DA is the guardian of the interests and aspirations of white people. Under normal circumstances, the DA and EFF are supposed to be rival enemies. The EFF is an ideological threat to the aspirations of DA members. How can you befriend a person who threatens to expropriate “your” property? And, how can you befriend a person who historically “stole” your valuable property? These questions speak to the crux of the doctrinal differences between the EFF and DA. Prior to the 2014 General Elections, Malema vowed that his party would never collaborate with DA in parliament. But today the opposite is true.

The parties’ parliamentary solidarity is occasioned by their shared hostility towards Zuma. There is a timeless political prescript that says “my enemy’s enemy is my great friend”.

The DA and EFF are greatly united in their passionate wish for Zuma’s political downfall. This passionate wish for Zuma’s downfall has masked the real antagonism between the EFF and DA. In their pursuit of Zuma’s downfall, the two structures have forgotten about their own rivalries.

There is a Sepedi conspiratorial dictum that says: “Wena thiba ka mo, nna ke tla mo thiba ka mola”. It loosely translates as: “Please corner him this side and I will corner him on the other side”. The two structures have mutually agreed to corner Zuma from all angles. At the recent State of The Nation Address, Malema and DA’s Mmusi Maimane conspired to disrupt the proceedings.

There are substantive indicators to confirm that the DA and EFF leaders are currently discussing the modalities of forming an alliance. Members of the two structures are more likely to rebel against such a political manoeuvre.

Last year Helen Zille unilaterally declared Agang’s Mamphela Ramphele the DA’s presidential candidate. That deal was blatantly rejected and dismissed by members of both DA and Agang.Could the looming DA-EFF alliance redefine the country’s party political alignment?

Elvis Masoga

Political analyst