THOHOYANDOU, Limpopo — The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) are making a decisive pivot from protest politics to positioning themselves as a credible governing alternative ahead of the 2026 local government elections. At the party’s 13th-anniversary rally in Thohoyandou, Limpopo, leadership outlined a comprehensive strategy to rebuild grassroots support in former ANC strongholds by unveiling 213 mayoral candidates committed to ending cadre deployment and delivering tangible municipal services.
Dr. Xolisile Ngumbela, a senior lecturer in the Department of Government Management at the Central University of Technology (CUT), noted that the anniversary celebration marked a highly symbolic and strategic moment in the party’s political history. According to Ngumbela, EFF Deputy President Godrich Gardee announced the rollout of these 213 mayoral candidates as part of a broader effort to reset the party’s momentum and organizational structure following electoral setbacks in 2024.
Addressing thousands of supporters at the Thohoyandou Stadium, EFF leader Julius Malema emphasized the party’s readiness to govern. Ngumbela highlighted three core objectives derived from Malema’s address: challenging ANC dominance in rural South Africa, reconnecting with traditional supporters in provinces like Limpopo, the Eastern Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal where Malema originally built his political base, and presenting the EFF as a national governing alternative rather than merely a parliamentary opposition movement.
However, the shift from ideological activism to practical governance presents distinct challenges. For 13 years, the EFF has built its reputation on anti-corruption campaigns, land reform advocacy, economic transformation, and parliamentary activism. Ngumbela pointed out that municipal elections demand practical solutions, as voters are increasingly focused on service delivery: refuse collection, road repairs, water infrastructure maintenance, and sound municipal finance management.
Highlighting recent Statistics South Africa data on poverty lines, Ngumbela warned that households are struggling to pay for services, while municipalities lack efficient strategies for raising their own revenue and collecting debt. The recent withholding of treasury transfers to dysfunctional municipalities underscores this heavy reliance on national government grants. Ngumbela argued that the EFF must prove it can professionalize municipal workers and deploy financial administrators with the necessary acumen, rather than repeating the failures of past cadre deployment models.
To achieve this, the party must focus heavily on grassroots mobilization, door-to-door campaigning, and voter registration. Ngumbela stressed the critical importance of youth mobilization, noting that high unemployment and political apathy threaten voter turnout in a predominantly youthful country. He advised the EFF to directly address collapsing water infrastructure, electricity failures, potholes, financial mismanagement, and corruption, citing recent governance issues in areas like Madlanga.
The analysis also touched on the EFF’s role in coalition governments. Ngumbela was critical of past local government coalitions, arguing they were often formed strategically to control supply chains and financially “milk” municipalities rather than to foster clean, developmental governance. He suggested that smaller parties in these coalitions often wield disproportionate influence, pushing agendas that benefit their own interests rather than the electorate.
With the November 4 local government elections approaching, Ngumbela framed the vote as a definitive referendum on good governance and ethical leadership. By choosing to go it alone rather than enter into complex coalitions, the EFF aims to demonstrate its administrative capability, local accountability, and municipal credibility. If the party secures an outright majority in targeted municipalities, it will have the opportunity to prove its competence without coalition constraints. Otherwise, Ngumbela warned, the EFF risks being reduced to a kingmaker role that could dilute its practical influence and reformist promises, leaving it vulnerable to accusations of merely nursing its own political pockets.
