Why I am voting for the EFF in 2024
There isn’t a political party on the scene which reflects my personal political views. I think that’s true for many South Africans. Voting is a strategic decision which does not necessarily reflect your political views. It is just one part of political activism which should not end at the voting booth. I don’t support all the EFF’s policies: I support a worker’s democracy, which is not something the EFF talk about much.
The ANC have shown themselves to not be a revolutionary party. They follow the US-promoted neoliberal austerity measures, are unwilling to stand up to big business, which dominates our society, and do not offer any alternative to capitalism. The results are evident – economic stagnation and decline, crumbling infrastructure, further enrichment of the ultra-rich, increased poverty, crime and social unrest. The ANC also display a distinct lack of courage in the international and local scene to do things like kick out the Israeli ambassador in the face of a genocidal assault on Gaza, or end the extremely harmful war on drugs. No wonder they have lost popularity lately.
What about the DA? Well they have become a right-wing, white based party which promotes western-oriented capitalist policy similar to the ANC or even worse. They want even more austerity capitalism, even less investment in basic infrastructure and industry, policies which are highly regressive and will accelerate the downward path which South Africa has been on and will incite further racial animus.
Then there are a number of smaller parties which have entered the scene. Sadly I don’t really see many parties talking about the economy in a way which inspires me. In South Africa, the capitalist dogma is so firmly entrenched that almost nobody dares challenge it.
Any party I vote for has to promote a socialist alternative. However that reduces the list down to the EFF and a some smaller parties. I do believe small parties deserve our support, I belong to a small socialist party, but there’s no way they can attain success on an electoral basis.
The EFF has been growing impressively as of late. It wouldn’t surprise me if they do much better this election than ever before. Their results in the municipal election of 2021 allowed them to make a coalition government in Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni. Throughout the country they have swept SRC elections in Universities and Colleges, showing their popularity among the youth. This time they will probably make an even bigger challenge to power in this country. As Malema said in his recent address in Mpumalanga, it’s thanks to the EFF that the youth care about politics again. Before they were apathetic and uninterested.
Again, I don’t support all the policies of the EFF, but they do at least put pressure on the government to make the sort of changes which South Africa desperately needs. They are the only party which challenges the status quo and identifies the most salient issues facing South Africa. Having a stronger state to stand up to the capitalist overlords which run South Africa, having state-led investment and job creation, and of course distributing land to ordinary South Africans. It is the EFF which is the biggest driver to redistribute land and end the legacy of Apartheid which never left our country.
Simply advocating for the dignity of ordinary South Africans, like having flushing toilets in schools is something which has impressed me about the EFF. They have also pledged to legalise cannabis, and evict the Israeli ambassador, which shows they have the courage to oppose the US, which drives the global drug war and the wars around the world. The EFF encourages members to study and celebrates education, Malema is enrolled in a masters degree.
If you are concerned about farm murders, you should support the EFF. It’s only by redistributing land, and creating a basis of prosperity for those hopeless, desperate individuals which are so numerous in this country, that we can have security. Their policies will bring down crime, bring down farm murders, which have their basis in economic reasons.
I must emphasise that political activism should not stop at voting. We cannot rely on political saviours to do our work for us. It is only with a mass movement that real changes can be made in the political arena. A revolutionary party will be up against the entrenched system, but with a mass movement behind them they can have enough clout to make real changes. A mass democratic movement will keep politicians accountable and keep up the pressure to do the right things. We all know that power corrupts. The people know what their interests are.