We've restored the confidence of black people, says EFF ahead of anniversary

The Economic Freedom Fighters claim to have spent its first decade of their existence restoring the confidence of black South Africans.

That is according to the EFF in eThekwini as members went on a 3km walk in Durban ahead of celebrations to mark their 10th birthday.

Regional chair Themba Mvubu led about 200 EFF members in a walk from Curries Fountain sports ground to Medwood Gardens opposite the city hall on Monday.

Mvubu told TimesLIVE that the walk was to remind the people of eThekwini that the party was “purposefully” launched on July 26 because it drew inspiration from Fidel Castro’s Cuban revolution.

Reflecting on the party’s decade-long existence, Mvubu said their biggest achievement was inspiring black people to stand up to oppression.

“We gave confidence to the entire black people of SA, whether they are a card-carrying members of the EFF or not. Through our existence, black people have gained confidence to be able to stand up and speak against all manner of oppression and racism and that is because they actually get inspiration from the EFF.”

Mvubu said the party's growth is evident in eThekwini where it has grown three-fold in the two local government elections it has contested since its formation.

“We contested local government elections in 2016 and only managed eight seats in the council but in 2021 we grew to 24 seats. That is way past 100% growth.”

He said a significant part of their growth can be attributed to their “strong” youth wing and the EFF Students Command. Mvubu said getting the buy-in of students was the same tactic the ANC used to take over the province from the IFP.

“That space is now fully occupied by the EFF Students Command. There is no confusion about that, we have relegated the ANC-affiliated formations into insignificance. They are not players any more.”

“The youth were leaderless since the expulsion of [Julius] Malema from the ANC Youth League so we made a deliberate decision to form the EFFSC to mobilise and be the voice of the youth, and we’re very happy with their performance.”

Buntu Faku, EFFSC social welfare officer, said the Students Command had won SRC elections in almost all higher education institutions in eThekwini since their inception in 2015.

“We have been leading in DUT since 2018, in UKZN we are leading in 100% of their campuses and we led at the Mangosuthu University of Technology. We are also leading in many TVET collages.”

The EFF has had its fair share of controversy with its policies which have been described as polarising and potentially racially divisive.

Mvubu said they were not rejecting other races but were “unapologetically” prioritising black people.

“Our policies are clear: they speak for the oppressed, dejected African people who do not participate meaningfully in the economy. When you speak about people that must unite, it is not as urgent for other races as it is for black people because we were at the extreme end of the oppression.”

Mvubu said all eThekwini-based public representatives such as councillors, members of the provincial legislature and MPs had heeded the party’s directive for each member to organise and fill up buses to Johannesburg for the national celebration.

He said there will be 63 buses from eThekwini: 23 from the councillors and 40 from MPs (Mama Khawula, Hlengiwe Mkhalipi and Vusi Khoza) and MPL (Hlengiwe Chiliza) who are expected to bring 10 buses each.

“It is a sign of commitment because this is a very important gathering celebrating a decade of unbroken commitment, militant and uncompromising policies of the Left. It will be the biggest festival of the poor ever seen in the history of political organisation.”

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