WATCH: White student picking up determined EFF litterers’ waste sparks scorn
A peculiar scene played out on Monday during protests in Bloemfontein.
Eckhard Binding picking up litter during a protest on the UFS campus.
Video footage of a scene that played out during a student protest last week at the University of the Free State led by, among others, the EFF, has led many to criticise the party and its members.
In the clip, an apparently singleminded young man, identified as student Eckhard Binding, can be seen picking up litter and putting it in a trash bin, only for two waiting female EFF members to throw it back on the ground, rather mockingly.
The clip only emerged on social media on Monday.
Instead of him just giving up, he seems determined to make his point, so the scene repeats itself numerous times, with Binding simply continuing to pick up litter and attempt unsuccessfully to put it back in the bin. It’s then tossed right back out.
One vocal video blogger, Renaldo Gouws, in response has even go so far as to tell EFF supporters they are “a problem”.
“You are driven by your hate for people because of the colour of their skin. Your leader is a flip flopper and the fact that you can’t see it shows how idiotic you are,” he wrote on Twitter.
Less acerbic criticism of the party and its protest nevertheless wanted to know if it was now EFF policy to trash property during protests, a question that was posed to party spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi.
If you are a member of the EFF or vote for the EFF then you are the problem. You do not care about South Africa. You are driven by your hate for people because of the colour of their skin. Your leader is a flip flopper and the fact that you can't see it shows how idiotic you are. pic.twitter.com/lgIAxJ4IJo
— Ngamla Gouws 🇿🇦 (@RenaldoGouws) March 4, 2019
Others said one should not judge an entire protest, or group for that matter, by the actions of a few EFF members alone.
https://twitter.com/Thembekadladla4/status/1102790672585842693
@MbuyiseniNdlozi is this a directive of the EFF to litter? https://t.co/VfgM8kU3JD
— The Mindless Emperor Nero (@Senganga28) March 5, 2019
If it was a video of two EFF members handing out food parcels, or setting up solar bulbs in rural areas for children to study or maybe even just picking up litter and disposing it properly… and I tweeted “This is why EFF IS the future.” Would you have just said what you said?
— Taloshili Olavi Hangula (@olavihangula) March 5, 2019
https://twitter.com/senderman/status/1102659324063698945
https://twitter.com/system_jolt/status/1102657210394513408
That is not uncalled for this is not acceptable whether it EFF member or not, no one must litter let keep our country clean but please bear in mind not everyone wearing an EFF t-shirt is a member of EFF. Let rather not condone this type of behaviour
— Bond (@_007Sihle) March 4, 2019
Others have pointed out that the video appears to have become an excuse for people to vent their racism.
https://twitter.com/Blaugranero_/status/1102619691749687298
https://twitter.com/MilnerAdrienne/status/1102606465217511424
https://twitter.com/anorkie95/status/1102577779411992580
(Edited by Charles Cilliers)
Note, 5 March 11:21am: This story was updated to reflect that the protest took place last week and not Monday, as originally reported.
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