EFF's 12-Year journey: Malema calls for continued radical change
EFF leader Julius Malema did not hold back in his criticism of the DA, the party governing the Western Cape.
Image: Mandilakhe Tshwete
Twelve years ago, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) burst onto South Africa’s political landscape with a promise to transform the country’s economic and social order.
Founded by Julius Malema and his comrades on July 26, 2013, the party emerged from a deep frustration with the slow pace of change since democracy and the persistence of poverty, inequality, and racial divisions.
Speaking at the EFF’s 12th anniversary celebrations on Saturday, Malema painted a vivid picture of how those founding principles remain as urgent today as ever.
He reminded the crowd of Khayelitsha’s history, founded in 1983 under apartheid as a relocation site for Black people forcibly removed from Cape Town.
Despite decades of democracy, Khayelitsha still bears the scars of spatial apartheid: poor infrastructure, inadequate housing, unreliable water, and limited public transport.
For many residents, these conditions have become normalised.
Malema did not hold back in his criticism of the DA, the party governing the Western Cape.
He accused the DA of being a party that protects white privilege and sustains inequality by neglecting townships like Khayelitsha.
Thousands of supporters demonstrate the massive turnout for the EFF’s 12th anniversary celebrations.
Image: Mandilakhe Tshwete
While affluent suburbs such as Constantia and Clifton enjoy well-maintained roads and services, places like Gugulethu and Nyanga continue to suffer from neglect, overcrowded clinics, and dangerous streets plagued by gang violence.
“Spatial apartheid continues under their watch,” Malema said, framing the DA’s governance as a continuation of apartheid-era divisions.
Malema stressed that the party has remained true to its revolutionary principles, refusing to become co-opted by establishment politics or elite interests.
Malema recounted how even international figures have taken notice, including a visit to the White House where former US President Donald Trump played EFF songs "Kill the boer" as a warning, which he repeatedly sang after concluding his speech.
He criticised both the ANC and DA for forming uneasy coalitions motivated by fear of the EFF’s growing power.
In a pointed attack, Malema said the ANC has become riddled with corruption and tenderpreneurship, while the DA serves to protect white monopoly capital.
Yet, both parties are united in their efforts to block the EFF from gaining control in any government.
Economic Freedom Fighters founder and president Julius Malema gives his speech at the 12th anniversary in Khayelitsha.
Image: Mandilakhe Tshwete
On crime and policing, the EFF expressed support for Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who raised allegations of corruption and criminal syndicates operating within law enforcement.
Looking to the future, the EFF is preparing for the 2026 local government elections with ambitions to govern outright in many municipalities.
Malema urged party structures to strengthen grassroots organisation, win wards decisively, and deliver services that the DA has failed to provide.
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