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EFF call to fund ‘the revolution’ a clever way to keep its power
The Red Berets have made an impassioned plea to ordinary citizens to donate whatever is within their means, from cows to cash and vegetables.
EFF leader Julius Malema briefs media at Winnie Madikizela Mandela House in Johannesburg on 14 July 2023. Picture: Nigel Sibanda
By asking ordinary citizens to fund a revolution, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has chosen to keep its power, rather than being answerable to corporations and mysterious billionaires.
EFF commander-in-chief Julius Malema called on all peace loving South Africans, revolutionaries from the African continent and the diaspora to “finance a revolution”.
The call was echoed by the EFF’s treasurer general Omphile Maotwe who made an impassioned plea to ordinary people to donate whatever is within their means, from cows to cash and vegetables.
Political analyst and Director of Programmes at the Auwal Socio Economic Research Institute (ASRI) Ebrahim Fakir said it was not uncommon for political parties to ask for money.
“Every party wants money, there is not much more to it than that,” he said.
READ: ‘EFF a home of rehabilitation’: Malema hopes Zuma will join red berets
Calls for funds from ordinary people ‘truly African’
But another independent analyst Sandile Swana described the call for ordinary citizens to fund the party as “innovative” and “a truly African way of doing things”.
Swana pointed out that the red berets had in fact taken yet another leaf from the ANC’s playbook.
“When you look at how the original ANC was funded, it was funded in a similar fashion to what the EFF is now doing, asking for cows, asking for basic materials of support in accordance with the ability ordinary people in South Africa,” explained Swana.
He also explained why traditional party funding is problematic.
“The business of funding political parties and campaigns has been the reserve domain of billionaires and multimillionaires who donate millions with the intention of redirecting state policy and practice.”
President Cyril Ramaphosa‘s election campaign (CR17) was funded by corporations and billionaires in South Africa and Europe.
I am still puzzled why the ANC, for instance, is in so much debt and unable to pay? They have made a movement of ordinary people so expensive and unaffordable. Ordinary black people can’t fund the ANC because the cost structure is designed to be funded by billionaires.
Last December, then outgoing treasurer Paul Mashatile revealed the governing party was as much as R555 million in debt. That figure grew from about R255 million in December 2017, with its bill for salaries over the past five years amounting to reportedly nearly R1 billion.
EFF spokesperson Leigh Mathys explained that the call for donations from ordinary people was in line with how the party historically operated.
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“We have never been on that [millionaire donations] path. We are a humble party and our supporters may not have much, but they may have a cow, chicken or a goat that want to donate to support us,” said Mathys.
She said food donations would go towards the EFF’s 10th anniversary celebrations to be held at the FNB Stadium later this year, in which the party is expecting 90 000 guests.
WATCH: EFF appeals for donations
EFF giveaways
Just two months ago the red berets gave away an unspecified vehicle and a borehole built by party members to the Bapedi Kingdom Queen Manyaku Thulare. The royal household did not have access to water in their home, even during King Victor Thulare’s reign, according to the EFF.
Back in 2021, the red party gifted AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo a Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe SUV worth more than R1.8 million to the king.
Additional reporting by Thapelo Lekabe.
NOW READ: EFF gifts King Dalindyebo with brand new Mercedes-Benz SUV, Malema says it’s no bribe
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