EFF Vice-President Floyd Shivambu, EFF President Julius Malema and EFF General Secretary Marshall Dlamini attend the Economic Freedom Fighters election manifesto presentation held at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, South Africa on February 10, 2024. The release of the manifesto provided a platform for the EFF to outline his plans for national and local polls in 2024. (Photo by Darren Stewart/Gallo Images, Getty Images)
In the run-up to the elections, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) hope to capitalize on the ANC's failures to improve their chances of winning elections in the northwest.
EFF leader Julius Malema on Thursday in front of scores of people in the province slammed the ANC government for failing to provide basic services to the people.
Malema was in the state to boost his party's electoral chances.
The Northwest became a stronghold for the EFF. The party won seats from the ANC in the Mahikeng (Romanianen) region in the 2021 local elections and expanded its influence in the Ditsobotla (Lichtenburg) region.
Mr Malema said the EFF was on track to win the votes of people who had suffered the injustices associated with the ANC's failures.
Mr Malema said it was important for people to vote for the EFF because it provides better jobs, housing, free education and healthcare.
EFF is the official opposition party in the North West and donated $170,000
That's out of the party's 1.8 million votes nationwide in 2019.
In his speech, Mr Malema urged people to remember the challenges the province faced under the leadership of former Prime Minister Supra Mahumapelo.
Mahumapelo faced allegations of corruption and mismanagement during his tenure. These include accusations of fraud in government contracts and tenders, as well as using public funds for personal gain, leading to calls for his resignation.
The state's leadership under the ANC has been undermined by infighting.
There have also been numerous protests against service delivery, with people expressing dissatisfaction with the provision of basic services such as water, electricity and housing.
In April, the state received a dismal performance report on Good Governance Africa's 2024 Governance Performance Index, which rated municipalities in the northwest as the worst performers in the country.
The ANC is under pressure to expand its grip in the province, with several opinion polls suggesting the party will lose its majority in the province, as well as in KwaZulu-Natal.
An Ipsos poll shows the ANC is expected to win 40% of the national vote. The poll also showed the EFF could win 11.5% of the vote, up from 10.31% in 2019.
In his speech, Mr Malema said the EFF would provide free education to prevent young people from turning to alcohol out of boredom.
“Our children will not turn to Savannah when they are bored. They will read books because we will send them to school for free,” Malema said. “We give them free food, school shoes and uniforms. Our children cannot learn if they are hungry. They give me money to give them free school uniforms. I asked them where the money would come from. I told them, “It comes from the same place that the money for the prisoners' uniforms comes from.'' You give uniforms to prisoners of war every year, but not to our children. ”
EFF North West party chairman Matshidiso Botswe said the party was ready to secure 50% of the vote to take the leadership position.
He added that the ANC's political instability in the state was a catalyst for the EFF to gain momentum.
“We can take over this province because there are no services provided here. We can intervene to improve the lives of the people here because the ANC is ignoring the people. That is why you must vote for us to save them from ruin,” Botswe said.
“Since we took over the 27th Ward, we have been able to fight for jobs locally so our employees don’t have to commute far. It's part of our way of giving back to the communities we serve.”
Residents of the British area said they wanted change and wanted jobs in the surrounding mines.
“The road conditions are terrible. The roads are bumpy and full of potholes, and many people do not have constant access to clean water or electricity. We need jobs to support our families,” they said.
Malema said that under the EFF government, prisoners are issued with a uniform upon arrest and are not issued with a new uniform until they are released.
He added that while prisoners are eating breakfast, lunch and dinner, many members of the public outside don't know where their next meal will come from. Mr Malema said citizens had the right to a better life than prisoners.
