EFF to IEC: Preventing parties from campaigning will compromise our democracy
Party leader Julius Malema has confirmed that the EFF will be contesting all the local, district and metropolitan municipalities in over 4,400 wards.
JOHANNESBURG - The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) said preventing political parties from campaigning undermined the freeness and fairness of elections and would compromise South Africa’s democracy.
The party briefed the media on Wednesday on developments on the upcoming local government elections.
Party leader Julius Malema has confirmed that the EFF will be contesting all the local, district and metropolitan municipalities in over 4,400 wards.
WATCH: Malema on local elections: "eThekwini is ours"
<yt-formatted-string force-default-style="" class="style-scope ytd-video-primary-info-renderer"></yt-formatted-string>
He said the existing environment in the country did not permit free and fair elections due to restrictions of gatherings.
“Free and fair elections are not determined by what happens on voting day, they are primarily defined by the democratic right to freely and fairly campaign before voting day. The EFF is currently at its strongest position and will give the most formidable fight in the upcoming local government elections.”
Malema said they had written to the IEC after some parties scrambled to submit local government elections candidate lists, forcing the commission to extend its deadline by four hours on Monday.
“We are not sure whether all other political parties have complied with the due date, and we have since written to the IEC to demand a detailed technical report. We call on the IEC to be honest because its independence and autonomy seems to be disappearing under the current leadership.”
On coalitions, Malema said the party would decid based on the what would be best for the people.
"Coalitions, we are open for engagements for coalition. We will look at what is best for the people of that municipality or metro. It will not be a national type of a binding coalition."
He added that: "And this time around, we are going into coalition government ourselves as the EFF. We think we have amassed the necessary experience and we have got men and women who are now capable enough to can lead successful municipalities. And those coalitions will be based on that."
MALEMA: Structures of the EFF, all of them have met target, all of them have done what the guidelines have asked them to do and we are very happy that everybody is now following, including Jossey Buthane this time around, did his branch proper once, it went in without problems.
Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) August 25, 2021
MALEMA: Be rest assured, after these LGEs, there will be Metros with EFF Mayors either directly or through coalition. #EFFPresser
Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) August 25, 2021
MALEMA: And this time around, we are going into coalition government ourselves as the EFF. We think we have amassed the necessary experience and we have got men and women who are now capable enough to can lead successful municipalities. And those coalitions will be based on that.
Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) August 25, 2021
Download the Eyewitness News app to your iOS or Android device.
