Sea of red descends on Mpumalanga as crowds gather for #EFFTurns6 celebrations

A mass of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) supporters have gathered at the KaNyamazane Stadium in Mpumalanga on Saturday to join in the celebrations in the party’s sixth birthday.

The party was formed on July 26 2013, and has since grown significantly into an established and viable political threat to opposition parties.

In the 2019 National elections, the EFF saw gains, as some voters chose to cast their votes away from their previous favourites. Their voting figures grew significantly from the last election’s 6.35% to grab nearly 10.8% of the national vote.

The EFF celebrated their last birthday at Sisa Dukashe in East London, slaughtering ten cows.

Earlier this week, birthday wishes trickled in from supporters, politicians and political party leaders, with Democratic Alliance leaders Herman Mashaba, Bongani Baloyi, Michael Waters, and Ghaleb Cachalia in a bit of a spat.

Mashaba and Baloyi wished the party well, but Waters and Cachalia could not bring themselves to agree with them.

In response, Waters said Baloyi’s “flirtation” with the EFF was worrying.

“They are fascist. Would you wish the Nazi party a happy birthday? I think not. This flirtation with the EFF worries me,” he said, a sentiment that was supported by Cachalia, who also said: “I’ll have no truck with fascists… never have, never will.”

Waters’ comments on comparing the EFF with Nazis did not sit well with Baloyi, who in turn labelled him an “extremist”.

Party leader Julius Malema is expected to address the crowd soon.

(Compiled by Nica Schreuder)

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.