EFF at 10: Clicks, national shutdown among notable protests
Thousands of EFF members from South Africa's nine provinces will gather at FNB Stadium on Saturday to celebrate the party's 10th year of existence.
Over the past decade, the EFF were at the centre of protests and marches against government failures, including its national shutdown in March.
In February 2020, thousands of EFF members marched to Eskom’s head office at Megawatt Park to protest the scourge of load shedding and against the privatisation of the power utility.
The Clicks shutdown in 2020 was also one of the notable protests against racism by the red berets.
The party members shut down health and beauty retailer stores following a racially insensitive ad campaign.
The retailer had come under fire for labelling black people’s hair as “dry, damaged, frizzy and dull” and white people’s hair as “normal” in an ad campaign.
The retailer later dropped the TRESemmé brand, and all its products were immediately replaced.
The health and beauty retailer also accepted the resignation of one of its senior executives responsible for the racist ad campaign.
In March this year, the red berets marched to the Mahlamba Ndlopfu presidential residence in Tshwane, calling on President Cyril Ramaphosa to resign.
The protestors wanted Ramaphosa to resign over load shedding, the high cost of living, and other socio-economic challenges plaguing South Africans.
Although the government and the ruling party heavily criticised the protest – Malema hailed it as a success.
In the recent anniversary media launch, Malema highlighted that the EFF brought the plight of Marikana directly into the corridors of Parliament, confronting Ramaphosa for his alleged role in killing 34 mineworkers as a director of Lonmin Mine.
GOVERNMENT IN WAITING - 2024 ELECTIONS
Since 2014, Malema always emphasized that the EFF is a ‘government-in-waiting’.
But he recently changed the tone, saying the EFF will be at the Union Building after the 2024 national elections.
The party recently strengthened its power in local municipalities, including in Ekurhuleni where it has five mayoral committee posts.
The party shares seats with the ANC, but Malema continuously said the two parties are not in coalition but only vote together on service delivery matters or for candidates they believe in.
Political analysts believe this to be part of Malema's 2024 election manifesto strategy.
ALSO READ
