In the build-up to the elections the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) hopes to boost its chances of winning elections in North West by capitalising on the failures of the ANC.
Addressing scores of people in the province on Thursday, EFF leader Julius Malema took a swipe at the ANC government for failing to provide basic services to people.
Malema was in the province to strengthen the party’s chances in the elections.
North West has become an EFF stronghold. The party won seats from the ANC in the 2021 local elections in the Mahikeng (Lomanyaneng) area and increased its growth in the Ditsobotla (Lichtenburg) area.
Malema said the EFF was on course to win the votes of people who have suffered the injustice that came with the ANC failures.
It was important for people to vote for the EFF because, Malema said, the party will provide better jobs, housing, free education and healthcare.
The EFF is the official opposition in North West, which contributed 170 000
of the party’s 1.8 million votes nationally in 2019.
In his address, Malema urged people to remember the challenges the province faced under the leadership of former premier Supra Mahumapelo.
Mahumapelo faced allegations of corruption and maladministration during his time in office. These included irregularities in government contracts and tenders, as well as accusations of using public funds for personal gain and led to calls for his resignation.
The provincial leadership under the ANC has been marred by infighting.
There have also been numerous service delivery protests with people expressing dissatisfaction with the provision of basic services such as water, electricity and housing.
In April, the province received a dismal performance report for Good Governance Africa’s 2024 Governance Performance Index, which rates municipalities in the North West as the worst run in the country.
This has placed the ANC under pressure to up its game in the province after multiple polls suggested that the party will lose its majority there, as well as in KwaZulu-Natal.
An Ipsos poll has suggested that the ANC will receive 40% of the national vote. The polls have also indicated that the EFF could receive 11.5% of the vote, increasing from the 10.31% it received in 2019.
During his address, Malema said the EFF would provide free education to prevent the youth from resorting to alcohol because of boredom.
“Our children will not resort to Savanna when they’re bored. They will read books because we plan to send them to school free of charge,” said Malema. “We’ll give them food, school shoes and uniforms for free. Our children can’t learn with an empty stomach. They have asked me where the money for free school uniforms will come from? I’ve told them, ‘I will take it from the same place where the money for prisoners’ uniforms comes from. You give prisoners uniforms every year, but not our children.”
The EFF’s North West chairperson, Matshidiso Botswe, said the party was ready to garner 50% of the vote to place the party in the leadership position.
He added that the ANC’s political instability in the province had made it possible for the EFF to gain momentum.
“We are capable of taking the province because there is no service delivery here. We are stepping in to help our people to improve their lives here because the ANC has neglected them, which is why they must vote for us to get them out of the ruins,” Botswe said.
“Since we took over ward 27, we have been able to fight for our people to get jobs in their communities so that they do not have to commute far, this is part of giving back to the communities we serve.”
Residents of the Brits area said they were looking for change and were hoping to get employed by the surrounding mines.
“The condition of the roads is unfriendly. The roads are bumpy and full of holes, and many people do not have clean water or electricity all the time. We need jobs to provide for our families,” two people said.
Malema said under an EFF government a prisoner will get a uniform when they’re arrested and no new uniform will be provided until they’re released.
He added that prisoners have breakfast, lunch and supper but many citizens outside don’t know where the next meal will come from. Malema said citizens deserved to live better than prisoners.
