WATCH LIVE: EFF gears up for manifesto launch

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) are building up to host their manifesto launch at the Giant Stadium in Soshanguve in Pretoria today. The launch is set to start at 10am.

Supporters from across the country are slowly making their way to the stadium, eagerly awaiting information on how the party will address corruption, land expropriation, poverty and unemployment.

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Deputy Secretary-General of the EFF Hlengiwe Mkhaliphi spoke to eNCA on Saturday morning about the manifesto launch. 

She said that the issues that will be addressed in the manifesto launch today are based on consultations with ordinary citizens. 

She said that since last year, the EFF has asked people about the issues they want to see addressed. 

Mkhaliphi said people in Pretoria and Tshwane told the party that under Democratic Alliance (DA) leadership, their situations are still dire. 

The party are also calling for outgoing Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga leave office now, so that when the municipality is reconstituted, it is done in a legitimate way with credible leadership to actively address the people’s concerns.

When asked about coalition municipalities, Mkhaliphi said the party would rather align with the DA, one of two devils, to root out the corruption of the ANC. 

The manifesto launch is expected to address many important issues based on consultations with EFF supporters, Mkhaliphi said. A very broad spectrum of issues is expected to be addressed, including corruption, inequality, lack of employment and education. 

The party hosted a gala dinner on Friday night, with party leader Julius Malema emphasising that “we only need a government with political will”, the party posted on their Twitter account.

Malema also touched on some issues that will be expanded on in today’s manifesto launch, including declaring “special economic zones”, job creation, free education and healthcare, and creating “democratic cities”, as well as developing a relationship with the media, which he said needed to develop a “thick skin”.

The party plans to paint Soshanguve red today, and will also take the opportunity to explain the seven pillars of their manifesto.

According to their website, the seven pillars are:

1. Expropriation of South Africa’s land without compensation, for equal redistribution in use;
2. Nationalisation of mines, banks and other strategic sectors of the economy, without compensation;
3. Building state and government capacity, which will lead to the abolishment of tenders;
4. Free quality education, health care, houses and sanitation;
5. Massive protected industrial development to create millions of sustainable jobs, including the introduction of minimum wage(s) in order to close the wage gap between the rich and the poor, close the apartheid wage gap and promote rapid career paths for Africans in the workplace;
6. Massive development of the African economy and advocating for a move from reconciliation to justice on the entire continent; and
7. Open, accountable, corrupt-free government and society without fear of victimisation by state agencies.

Watch the live stream here:

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