Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 04-02-2019
A political analyst has told Radio Islam while the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) can dictate terms for the African National Congress’ (ANC) internal politics as opposed to the Democratic Alliance (DA) which makes it very powerful, the party lost their political mileage when former President Jacob Zuma was recalled.
Molifi Tshabalala was commenting on the launch of the EFF’s manifesto by party leader Julius Malema in Soshanguve north of Pretoria at the weekend.
Tshabalala says political dynamics have shown the EFF has become a think tank of the ANC because of coalition politics which allows them to call the shots.
In the party’s manifesto, Malema promised that under an EFF government that 50% of the land would be owned by the youth and women while at least half of the country’s mineral resources would benefit locals.
Tshabalala says the EFF cannot make elaborate promises because it’s not in government and doesn’t have a story to tell.
He says the party is also not as powerful as they were under Zuma’s presidency.
“To add insult to injury, they picked a fight with the media and the media has always been their strategy to play to the media gallery. Even the move that they want to disrupt the state of the nation address (Sona), I think it’s part of trying to regain their mileage that they lost with their fight with the media. I think they are not strong as they were under President Jacob Zuma.”
Tshabalala says in order for the EFF to fulfil its manifesto promises, it will need a fully functional capitalist system.
“Even the president of ANC and the county Cyril Ramaphosa admits that we are in a crisis. We have financial crisis because now he goes across the world looking for R 1.2 trillion, because I think we don’t have money, so the policies of the EFF wants money, unfortunately I don’t think we have money.”
Tshabalala says while the EFF has not made significant progress or achieved anything concrete in transforming the lives of ordinary South Africans it has become s disruptive force in body politics.
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