The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party has sharply criticized two major opposition parties, accusing them of representing interests diametrically opposed to those of the majority of South Africans.
In an interview on SABC’s Face The Nation program, EFF Deputy President Floyd Shivambu took aim at the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Freedom Front Plus (FF+), claiming their stances conflict with the need to redress longstanding imbalances rooted in the apartheid era.
“Our view is that the Democratic Alliance, the Freedom Front Plus, diametrically represent different interests to the interests of majority of South Africa, which is about redress of the imbalances of the past,” Shivambu stated.
The EFF 9.52% in the South African elections held on May 29, contributing to the ANC’s majority loss, lost, which has forced the biggest party now negotiating with a range of other parties with diametrically opposed policy aspirations.
Founded in 2013, the EFF has built its platform on fighting for economic emancipation and radical policies to transform racial economic inequalities inherited from apartheid. Shivambu’s comments double down on this core vision.
He portrayed the DA and FF+ as being fundamentally at odds with the EFF’s mission of uplifting the black majority population through redistributive economic policies targeting historical disparities.
The DA and FF+ have historically drawn more support from minority groups, particularly white and colored voters. Both parties have criticized the EFF’s policies as being unconstitutional and instituting racial discrimination in reverse.
With general elections likely in 2024, the stark ideological divide between the EFF and other major parties shows no sign of abating as they stake out competing visions for South Africa’s future path.
