EFF-initiated Private Members Bill a set-up for ANC, says expert 

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is on a mission to set up the ANC again by supporting its parliamentary initiative, but Julius Malema’s party may succeed this time despite the governing party being divided over the nationalisation of the Reserve Bank.

The EFF-initiated Private Members Bill, which would result, if passed, on the wholesale nationalisation of the South African Reserve Bank (Sarb), is in line with the ANC Nasrec conference resolution. But there have been questions about whether the ANC would support it in parliament.

The EFF proposal was most likely to be rejected, not because of the ANC’s lack of interest in it, but as it was political grandstanding to avoid being manipulated by the smaller opposition party. But, most importantly, factionalism would play a role in the ANC’s decision not to support it.

An expert believed the EFF was setting up the ANC on its own policy matter with the aim of grabbing the limelight and garnering votes for the 2021 local government election.

Leadership and policy expert Dr Mazwe Majola said the EFF was aiming to expose the ANC because they knew it was divided on the issue. He added that they were doing this to try and take the glory from the ANC in preparation for next year’s local elections.

“The EFF knows that this resolution was passed at Nasrec and they know that the ANC is not consistent with its policies or implementation,” Majola said.

“I don’t see the ANC supporting the EFF on its matter. I think they will play hide and seek because if they support it, they will elevate the EFF and that is what the EFF wants. They will find themselves in a quandary because they want the bank to be nationalised in one way or another. But it will give the EFF glory to support it [the Bill],” Majola said.

According to political analyst Ongama Mtimka from Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth, while it was certainly a gambit to get ANC factions falling all over themselves regarding their positions on this matter, the idea would be tempting to the parliamentarians aligned to the Magashule-Zuma faction.

“I suspect there is going to be a split down the middle with those aligned to the SG [secretary-general] showing some keenness to support the Bill,” Mtimka said.

The EFF’s deputy president, Floyd Shivambu, was expected to brief the parliamentary joint standing committee on finance and the select committee on finance on the Sarb Amendment Bill in which the EFF has proposed that the bank be nationalised.

Malema previously submitted the draft Bill during the last administration.

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