As the EFF gears up for our third National People’s Assembly (NPA) from December 12-15, we stand as a testament to revolutionary consistency. Over the years, the EFF has remained a force committed to anti-establishment ideals, consistent in our pursuit of land expropriation without compensation, nationalisation of strategic industries, and the realisation of free education, healthcare and housing. However, this commitment has not come without resistance, as highlighted in our third NPA discussion document on media, communications and the battle for ideas. The propaganda war waged against the EFF has evolved from smear campaigns to an openly funded ideological assault designed to undermine the movement’s growth and its challenge to South Africa’s capitalist establishment.
The media space in South Africa is controlled and dictated by a capitalist and racist establishment that defines political and economic life. This media monopoly has continuously sought to discredit the EFF, shaping narratives that are hostile to the principles of economic freedom, land expropriation without compensation, and anti-capitalist revolution. The historical patterns of media control by the colonial and capitalist establishment are not coincidental — they serve to reinforce the status quo. As we assessed ahead of the 2nd National People’s Assembly in 2019, the distribution and packaging of information in South Africa is purposefully curated to entrench white capitalist control, limiting our path towards economic liberation.
The legacy of colonialism is deeply embedded in the way media portrays African existence. The portrayal of black people as violent, irresponsible and incapable of self-governance is a product of centuries of racialised communication, reinforcing the legitimacy of white capitalist domination. It is through these biased lenses that the EFF is constantly attacked — our revolutionary stance, our anti-colonial policies and our calls for a redistribution of wealth are presented as dangerous, disruptive and threatening to the economic stability of the nation. Additionally, the media, particularly platforms owned by foreign capitalist interests such as MultiChoice, has played a significant role in promoting negative depictions of black life. Through reality television and other entertainment, they frame black existence as something that needs to be fixed or corrected, rather than as a people deserving of liberation and empowerment.
From our inception, the EFF has faced smear campaigns targeting our leadership and questioning its moral and ethical foundation. The allegations of corruption and mismanagement, often without substantive evidence, were employed to discredit the EFF as an organisation. These attacks were perpetuated by a media system reminiscent of the apartheid-era Stratcom — a propaganda machine infamous for fabricating narratives to undermine the liberation struggle and tarnish leaders like Mama Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. Despite these attempts, the EFF weathered the storm, demonstrating resilience and a refusal to succumb to character assassinations.
However, the 2024 national and provincial elections marked a turning point in the war against the EFF. Capitalist interests, recognising that smear campaigns were no longer sufficient, openly declared an ideological war. Billions of rand were funnelled into the formation and sustenance of political parties whose sole purpose was to counter the EFF’s electoral growth. These parties, funded by common sources, became tools to secure neoliberal coalitions postelections, effectively sidelining the EFF. This deliberate strategy was coupled with a media campaign that demonised the EFF’s ideas as dangerous and catastrophic for South Africa’s economy.
The propaganda against the EFF paralleled historical examples, such as the Cold War-era “red scare”, where anti-communist hysteria was used to delegitimise leftist movements. In South Africa, the EFF was portrayed as a threat to economic stability, with its policies mischaracterised as reckless and unimplementable. However, these narratives often overlooked the EFF’s track record of efficient internal governance, disciplined organisational structure and our dedication to dismantling systemic inequalities.
The portrayal of the EFF as an ideological enemy of the status quo stems from our unapologetic revolutionary stance. Unlike other political entities that have compromised their principles for public favour or electoral gain, the EFF has remained an “unpleasant” opponent of capitalism and racialised economic control. As Steve Biko once noted, the oppressor demands a pliant victim — a role the EFF refuses to adopt. This refusal has made the EFF a target of campaigns aimed at presenting it as violent, divisive and antagonistic to social cohesion, even as we fight for the economic liberation of the African majority.
In this ideological battle, the EFF is not merely fighting for political power but for the very soul of the nation. The EFF’s role in this struggle is to expose the deep links between capitalism, racial oppression and the control of the media.
The media’s role in this ideological war cannot be overstated. As Malcolm X aptly warned, “The media’s the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent.” The EFF’s radical ideas have now become the focal point of attack. The efficiency and discipline of the movement, previously dismissed, are now viewed with fear, as they signify the potential for the EFF to transform governance and economic policies in line with its revolutionary manifesto.
The capitalist establishment’s fear of the EFF is evident in its media war, but it also reveals deeper concerns about the future of South Africa. The formation of the so-called “Government of National Unity” in 2024, involving a coalition between the ANC and the DA, was an attempt to ensure that the status quo of neoliberal economic policy would continue. This coalition, heavily funded by the interests of capital, represents the ultimate compromise of the original liberation movement. It marks a new chapter in South Africa’s political history, one where the dreams of a liberated, anti-capitalist state are sidelined in favour of a more insidious form of control by the same capitalist forces that have historically oppressed black South Africans.
In this ideological battle, the EFF is not merely fighting for political power but for the very soul of the nation. The EFF’s role in this struggle is to expose the deep links between capitalism, racial oppression and the control of the media. We must continue to challenge these narratives, using every available medium — from traditional media to the growing alternative platforms of podcasts and social media — to disseminate our revolutionary message. The battle for economic freedom will not be won in the halls of parliament alone but on the streets, in the airwaves and in the hearts and minds of our people.
This ideological war, though challenging, is a testament to the EFF’s growing influence and our ability to unsettle the entrenched capitalist and racist order. The war against the EFF is not just a war against a political party — it is a war against the very ideals of justice, equality and freedom that the EFF embodies.
Leigh-Ann Mathys is the Economic Freedom Fighters' spokesperson
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