The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, led by Julius Malema, has launched its election manifesto in the Eastern Cape, targeting municipalities currently held by the African National Congress (ANC). Malema stated that the EFF wants to take control of municipalities across the province, particularly where the ANC has failed to register candidates. The ANC's candidate-registration problems have affected four Eastern Cape municipalities, including Port St Johns and Ingquza Hill.
The ANC's failure to submit its ward and proportional representation (PR) candidate lists before the Electoral Commission's August 28 deadline has led to its exclusion from the November 4 local government elections in some areas. The court dismissed the ANC's application to have its excluded candidates reinstated last week, but the party has indicated that it intends to appeal. Malema sees this as an opportunity for the EFF to secure control of the affected councils.
Malema launched the EFF's election manifesto at the Rotary Stadium in Ngangelizwe, Mthatha, on Saturday, before hundreds of supporters. He emphasized that the Eastern Cape is a strategic province for the EFF to take over, citing the ANC's poor performance in the region. Malema mentioned specific municipalities, including Nyandeni, Mhlontlo, Ingquza Hill, and Port St Johns, as targets for the EFF.
The EFF will contest Port St Johns against several parties, including the DA, MKP, UDM, PAC, Patriotic Alliance, African Transformation Movement, and Afrika Mayibuye Movement, as well as two independent candidates. In Ingquza Hill, the EFF will face a wider field of parties, including the SACP, DA, MKP, UDM, Patriotic Alliance, and PAC, alongside 14 independent candidates. Malema stated that the party has selected young candidates to lead its campaigns.
Malema outlined the EFF's plans to improve access to water, electricity, health care, and education if it takes control of the municipalities. He called for poor households to be exempted from paying for water and electricity, proposing that municipalities use social grant records to identify residents who should qualify for free basic services. Malema also urged elderly voters to stop supporting the ANC out of loyalty to former president Nelson Mandela.
Malema accused the ANC-led government of failing to uphold Mandela's legacy and said Eastern Cape residents continued to face inadequate infrastructure and basic services. He promised to address the condition of schools, particularly those with inadequate sanitation facilities, and to provide reliable and affordable electricity. Malema also vowed to improve the dignity of residents in the Eastern Cape.
The EFF leader concluded by emphasizing the need for change in the Eastern Cape, citing the province's history of producing prominent anti-apartheid leaders, including Mandela, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, and Oliver Tambo. Malema stated that the EFF wants to make a difference in the lives of residents and to provide them with the services they deserve.
Key points
- The EFF is targeting municipalities in the Eastern Cape where the ANC has failed to register candidates.
- The ANC's candidate registration issues have affected four municipalities in the Eastern Cape.
- The EFF has outlined plans to improve access to basic services, including water, electricity, and education.
