EFF supporters during the party's 10th anniversary celebration at FNB Stadium on 29 July 2023 in Johannesburg. Picture: Gallo Images/Lefty Shivambu
EFF leader Julius Malema was welcomed with loud cheers as he arrived at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg for the party’s 10th anniversary celebrations on Saturday.
The stadium was fully packed – with the leadership of the EFF forced to allow some of those who did not have seats to be seated pitch side.
The party’s secretary-general Marshall Dlamini had to call on other party members who were on their way to the stadium to “stay at home because the stadium is overfull”.
Placard branded with ‘Malema For President’ were visible from those who were sitting on the stage.
Another placard read: ‘the ANC is dead’.
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The party’s chairperson Veronica Mente said no one believed the EFF would grow this much when the party was launched in 2013.
EFF Gauteng chair Nkululeko Dunga used the birthday celebration to take aim at other parties.
He first took a jab at Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, saying “down with Panyanza”.
“We have a government that is obsessed with itself, where the premier is busy parading the poverty in stadiums just to hand over appointment letters to EPWP that he struggles to pay,” he said.
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Dunga also criticised the Democratic Alliance (DA), claiming the party and its coalition partners were killing people in Hammanskraal.
Some EFF members said the packed stadium was a sign that the party is set for a strong showing at next year’s elections.
“This shows that the party is growing and we have a good chance to remove the ANC next year,” one said.
ATM president Vuyo Zungula was among those from other political parties who were invited to the EFF’s celebration.
Zungula said opposition parties had to unite if they wanted to remove the ANC from power.
“We have a problem in this country called the president. He has influenced parliament not to hold him accountable, he had influenced the NPA not to act against him and he is definitely influencing the electoral processes for next year. If we do not unite as opposition parties next year, we are going to lose.”
Malema is expected to make closing remarks at the celebration.
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