The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) are comfortable in their role as change-makers in the 2021 local government elections but any party interested in entering into a coalition will have to accept non-negotiable conditions.
2021 Elections: EFF coalition hinges on these conditions
In 2016, the Red Berets made an impressive showing in their first-ever municipal election campaign, and while no council was taken by the Julius Malema-led party, the 761 seats they won sent a firm message to the political arena.
This time around, perhaps, too much expectation was placed on the opposition party to make further strides in resurfacing as the official opponent of the mammoth ANC.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) proved to be difficult competition, along with the ascension of smaller parties with niche supporters like the Freedom Front Plus (FF+), ActionSA, Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and the National Freedom Party (NFP).
Still, though, as vote counting in the 2021 Elections enters its last stretch, the EFF has seen a 2.2% increase in support than in 2016.
If the party’s sole purpose was to remove the ANC from municipal control then this election turnout would be written off as a failed outing. But, EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu made it clear that the undercard strategy may have been the plan all along.
EFF sets its list of non-negotiable demands for coalition
In the end, Shivambu explained in an interview at the results operation centre, the ANC or DA will have to enter into a coalition government to obtain control of battleground metropolitans and other municipalities.
If it is the EFF they turn to, which is most likely in eThekwini, Tshwane, Mogale City and Nelson Mandela Bay, then these non-negotiable conditions must be met:
- Elected EFF officials must be part of government
- An EFF-elected mayor must lead a coalition government
- EFF must have an influence in the election of Speakers and members of mayoral council (MMC)
- An EFF-elected leadership must govern a metro
“We have already spoken about what the key issues we think municipalities have to deal with. Proper allocation of land that is within the control of the municipality… stabilisation of water supply… electricity has to be stabilised. Proper housing, taking care of people with disabilities… So, there are basic principles that we are going to establish before we enter into coalitions,” Shivambu said.
The EFF made it abundantly clear that intra-municipality coalition was not up for consideration.
“We have already stated publicly that our approach is that we do not prefer intra-municipality coalition. We rather prefer that you can be a Speaker in Tshwane but give us the mayor and the mayoral committee and then we do that for you in Johannesburg or in Ekurhuleni,” the EFF deputy president explained.