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The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is a rapidly growing political party, but there appear to be dualities which are concerning to other parties and by extension, many South Africans.
On the one hand, the EFF holds extraordinary initiatives which will benefit the country extensively. One merely needs to look at initiatives such as the EFF combatting inefficient health services, especially in regards to its National Health Amendment Bill. This bill focuses on making it mandatory for public sector clinics to remain open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, thereby ensuring South Africans have continuous access to medical treatment.
But then there is the other side of the coin—a jaded side which is aggressive and blatantly racial at times. One cannot forget Malema’s chilling words in 2016, when during a speech, he announced, “…We are not calling for the slaughtering of white people, at least for now. What we are calling for is the peaceful occupation of the land, and we don’t owe anyone an apology for that…”
Then, when looking at a more recent event, there are the clashes in Brackenfell, which has seen the country watching an entirely new kind of drama unfold. This resulted in several threats being made against Brackenfell High School by the EFF, whereby the DA went as far as to compare the political party to Nazis on its Twitter page.
With much controversy around the EFF, it seems the party is yet again on the receiving end of national attention, thanks to Julius Malema’s latest statements.
Recently, EFF members clashed with members of the SAPS during a protest in Brackenfell. During the demonstration, the SAPS used tear gas, water cannons and stun grenades to disperse the hundreds of EFF supporters.
Following the incident, Malema said, “If SA police want a fight they must declare it. We will treat them the same way we treated them in the ’80s. We will not only fight them at the picket lines. We will go to their homes and fight them in their own houses with their own families.”
He further complained that the police had been scheming with the white community and abused EFF members at their recent protests against racism in Senekal in the Free State and Brackenfell in the Cape.
In response to Malema’s statement, Police Minister, General Bheki Cele has noted the disgusting, reckless, irresponsible and dangerous statements calling for the attack on police officers by EFF leader, Julius Malema. Whereby Cele says, “I think the EFF leader has crossed the line, you are not going to threaten the police and think they will just fold their arms. The job of the police is clear and is prescribed in the Constitution, which is to protect, prevent, combat and investigate crime. Police are also there to uphold and enforce the law, so no one has the right to threaten the police when they conduct their work.”
Cele, who has called on members of the police service to protect themselves stated: “The threat to the lives of police members and their families will not be tolerated, officers of the law should never be used as bait for political mileage.”
Alex Liu of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) says it is important to remind people that cheap politics should never be used to win over supporters, nor should it be used to create fear and intimidation. He says, “The IFP has a long history and is mature, we know the importance of ethical boundaries. There are no shortcuts, and one needs always to be ethical.”
He continues in saying, this includes avoiding stirring turmoil in the country and causing tension amongst South Africans from all walks of life. “People need to ask, can they really rule the government?”
In a statement issued by the Democratic Alliance (DA), the political party looked at the recent events, especially those in Brackenfell and had the following to say on the matter: “The EFF must stop thinking that they are above the law. The EFF cannot any longer disguise unlawful threats, violence, undermining state security and personal attacks in the name of “politics.” The EFF has no right to police society backed by threats of very real violence and attacks.”
As South Africans, we are intertwined with the country’s politics due to it being so prevalent in our lives, but are politics and politicians intertwined with us?
With these words in mind, what are your thoughts?
Share your views and opinions with us in the comment section below.
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