EFF believes it can govern, but voters may still think differently

The old saying “there’s no business like show business” probably came from a more innocent time, before politics came to dominate our every waking moment.

“There’s no business like political business” is much more apt these days. Also, in our information-overloaded and media-fuelled world, the two businesses often overlap and politics, particularly, becomes more and more like entertainment (good or bad).

That’s why we have to acknowledge the political brilliance of Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema for putting on such a hard-to-ignore showbiz spectacular at the celebration of the party’s 10th anniversary this past weekend at FNB stadium in Soweto.

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The sea of red was evidence of two things. First, the EFF has the ability to bring people to the party (literally) – never mind that it also left nothing to chance by contracting the best events management companies to stage the show. Second, it’s proof that Malema, the Commander-In-Chief, has the political charisma many of his political enemies can only dream about.

Despite protests from within EFF ranks that it is the media that has concocted the theory of a “cult of personality” around Malema, the FNB performance had echoes of the adoration for Hitler at the Nuremberg rallies in the 1930s and the singular focus on a single glorious leader as perfected by the North Korean Kim family dynasty.

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The adoring fans were not there for policies, because in the EFF these seem to be as interchangeable as clean underwear. They were there to be enthralled by Juju – and they were.

What this all means is that Malema and the EFF cannot be written off as political players, despite the inability – so far – to garner more than 10% of the popular vote. The EFF believes it can govern … but voters may still think differently.

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