THOHOYANDOU, Limpopo — The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) officially launched its highly anticipated 2026 Local Government Elections Manifesto in Thohoyandou, marking the party’s 13th anniversary with a massive rally at the historic Thohoyandou Stadium. Party leader Julius Malema delivered the keynote address, setting a decisive tone for the upcoming November 4 municipal polls by emphasizing a strategic shift from liberation struggle rhetoric to tangible governance and service delivery.
Thousands of supporters descended upon the town, painting it red in the buildup to the event. The chosen venue, Thohoyandou Stadium, is a 47-year-old, 20,000-capacity facility built in 1979 that has historically hosted major national events, including recent Freedom Day celebrations.
A Strategic Return to Limpopo
The choice of location is highly deliberate. EFF Secretary General Marshall Dlamini acknowledged that the party has historically underperformed in Limpopo, a province where the ruling party maintains over 70% voter support. Following poor electoral outcomes, the EFF dissolved its provincial structures in Limpopo, Gauteng, the Eastern Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal in 2022.
Dlamini stated that the party is returning to “break the ground” in areas where critics claim the EFF cannot gain traction. Despite growing its electoral support from 14.50% in 2016 to 16.81% in 2021, party leadership insists that “boots must be tightened” to secure a decisive victory in the third local government election cycle.
Core Manifesto Pillars: Governance, Land, and Healthcare
During the buildup to the launch, EFF spokesperson Thembi Msane outlined the manifesto’s central themes, which prioritize the needs of ordinary South Africans.
- Clean Governance and Insourcing: Msane emphasized an end to the outsourcing of municipal services to consultants and tenderpreneurs. Citing financial mismanagement in metros like Ekurhuleni—which struggles to pay for Eskom, water, and rent—the EFF advocates for insourcing workers to ensure national treasury grants directly benefit communities rather than a selected few.
- Land Redistribution: Maintaining its foundational ideology, the party reaffirmed land as its number one cardinal pillar, stressing that true freedom remains a myth without equitable access to land for local economic development.
- 24-Hour Healthcare: The manifesto promises the nationwide rollout of 24/7 healthcare clinics. Msane highlighted the success of this model in Johannesburg, where the EFF’s former Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for water and sanitation successfully pioneered four round-the-clock clinics.
Addressing Local Service Delivery Crises
The manifesto directly tackles severe service delivery failures in the region. Msane pointed to the ongoing water crisis in Giyani, where residents have been forced to share water sources with livestock due to the failure of the Nandoni Dam reticulation project, despite government claims of near-completion. The EFF argues that the national treasury’s practice of withholding grants from struggling municipalities is not a viable solution, calling instead for strict monitoring, political will, and professional municipal management.
Political Tensions and Accountability
The rally was not without local political friction. The EFF expressed strong criticism over a simultaneous rival rally hosted by the African National Congress (ANC) at a stadium barely two kilometers away. Party representatives condemned the move as a lack of political maturity and tolerance, alleging that the ANC deliberately attempted to counter the EFF’s event without following proper venue security and booking protocols.
Furthermore, the party addressed a recent High Court decision granting an interdict to halt an impeachment committee process. Dlamini expressed deep disappointment with the ruling, framing it as an evasion of accountability. He reiterated the party’s unwavering stance that transparency must be enforced, vowing that efforts to hold President Cyril Ramaphosa accountable will persist regardless of legal delays.
Looking Ahead to November
As the campaign officially kicks off, the EFF promises to field the “best of the best” as mayoral candidates in key strategic municipalities. When pressed on potential leadership for troubled metros like Ekurhuleni, Thembi Msane, who previously served as the MMC for water and sanitation in the municipality, confidently noted that any candidate fielded by the EFF would be fully equipped to deliver on the party’s robust service delivery mandate.
With 103 days remaining until the November 4 elections, the Thohoyandou rally has firmly established the EFF’s intention to challenge the status quo, blending its revolutionary roots with a sharpened focus on practical, localized governance.
