The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Treasurer-General and mayoral candidate for Tshwane, Omphile Maotwe, is optimistic about her party’s prospects in the upcoming elections. She believes the EFF is poised to take control of municipalities nationwide.
However, recent polls suggest the EFF will perform worse than in the 2021 local elections. In the 2024 elections, their support notably dropped compared to the 2019 national elections. This decline is partly attributed to the party’s controversial stance on immigration, as they advocate for the proper documentation of migrants.
Maotwe stated, “The numbers are numbering; the people have received the message of the EFF. They are saying the EFF is ready to take over Tshwane, and indeed Gauteng as a province.” She urged residents to give the EFF a mandate to govern, highlighting positive feedback from their extensive campaigning across various local areas.
The party leader further noted, “You can see how the EFF has been present in all provinces. The president has crisscrossed all nine provinces, even holding a packed night rally in Madibeng. The people have accepted us.”
In another development, Maotwe refrained from confirming whether the former EFF Deputy President, Floyd Shivambu, had any connection to a reported infiltration attempt within the party. This follows claims that State Security Agency operatives, in 2015, aimed to undermine the EFF during a period of intense state capture and opposition to former President Jacob Zuma. These operatives later attempted to coerce prominent EFF members into joining the ANC.
Shivambu, who left the EFF in 2024 to support Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, has since formed his own political party, the Afrika Mayibuye Movement.
Responding to questions about the latter’s name, Maotwe encouraged the media to investigate who has benefited from these infiltration attempts and the financial motivations behind them. “What was the threat of the EFF for the state to unleash so much money to destroy us? We will explore every corner of this country to uncover the truth,” she asserted.
Lastly, Maotwe reiterated that the revelations about the SSA’s actions are concerning not only for the EFF but for all South Africans, as they potentially misuse taxpayer funds intended for public development.
