21 August 2018, 10:47
Formed five years ago, EFF commands just 6% of the parliamentarian voice but has the loudest and most effective and most decisive voice. Lead by firebrand Julius Malema, EFF has breathed new life into South African political landscape. With the demise of PAC and National party, and with SACP marriage to ANC whilst Inkhata freedom party resigned to be a regional KZN opposition, DA and ANC emerged as the two formidable political houses of South Africa.
The ANC is taking a stance as a black party whilst DA coming in as a party serving interests of the white community. With no real substantive benefits of alignment, the politics of SA becomes a black and white. It became the politics of nothing else but race. This has been the trend with all post colonial governments in Southern Africa. We saw the same history pattern with Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa could not be exceptional but the South African story took a twist in 2012 when ANC made its biggest mistake of all time, firing Malema from the party.
Malema had established himself as a kingmaker of ANC long before he was fired. As the youth leader of ANC, Malema would single handedly take charge to rebuke ANC appointed ministers in public. Malema would single handedly challenge ANC government policies and at one point he publicly clashed with his president and the then mines minister over nationalization of mines.
Julius Malema had proved that every single vote is as important any other millions of votes casted in any election. Malema and EFF have demonstrated the power in the voice of vote. EFF with just 6% of national electoral votes has effectively put that small citizenship approval to maximum use by directing and policing an ANC government enjoying over 70% of citizenship approval whilst Juju is the defector Supreme President of the country.
Notable, these are the very significant historical individual Juju influence over the years which stands far ahead of any other political individual in this Southern African nation.
1. In 2008, Malema campaigned for Mbeki to go and for Zuma to be president and the ANC listened to him.
2. In 2016 local governments, EFF went to bed with DA to dislodge ANC municipal governance by forging an alliance with the usual enemy DA in three of the country’s biggest local governments.
3. In 2017, Malema led EFF made loud calls for a motion to a motion on vote of no confidence on Zuma, a first for Africa, ANC listened to him.
4. In 2017 Malema again called for Zuma to go and subsequently ANC listened to him
EFF has been on record calling for the cancellation of ANC government nuclear plant plans and subsequently the deal was cancelled.
5. EFF campaigned for a landmark motion on land expropriation without compensation. This was not part of ANC land redistribution policy but again ANC listened to him
South African democracy is free from monarchy communities hence they is no king to call the shots on administrative matters. But this is the truth is, hate him or like him, Malema is calling the shots, Malema has influence surpassing all the past presidents who came after Mandela. He is the Defactor Supreme President Of SA.
The current ANC presidium was indirectly pushing Malema’s comeback for one reason, they understand his power, they understand his authority and they understand his power in government and they are struggling to sustain him. ANC presidium wants to govern with Juju hence these unrealistic calls for him to do the unthinkable. Malema power is like a revolution, no one can stop it, be part of it or you are sidelined. With visibly foreseeable more approval come 2019 national elections, Malema is set to exercise more power to decide the business of the government and he will do that effectively.