The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) are playing a high-stakes political poker game with calls for national shutdown. If he fails in his efforts to use his political muscle to unseat President Cyril Ramaphosa, it will be a setback for his ambitions in the 2024 national elections, said political analysts. EFF national spokesperson Dr Ntsikelelo Breakfast said: “The EFF wants to use this march to flex its political muscles in preparation for the upcoming general elections. “Because I don’t think they will be able to destroy their country… if they succeed,…
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) are playing a high-stakes political poker game with calls for national shutdown. If he fails in his efforts to use his political muscle to unseat President Cyril Ramaphosa, it will be a setback for his ambitions in the 2024 national elections, said political analysts.
EFF national shutdown
Dr Ntsikelelo Breakfast said: “The EFF wants to use this march to flex its political muscles in preparation for the upcoming general elections.
“It’s not like I don’t think it will be able to destroy the country… if it succeeds, it means that it will be able to remove the leader of the power.
“He could rid the ANC of its leadership, but I don’t think that will happen. I don’t think everyone will jump on the bandwagon and support him.
Malema’s personal revenge
Breakfast added that EFF leader Julius Malema was “seeking a personal vendetta against Ramaphosa because he presided over the disciplinary hearing that expelled Malema from the ANC”.
“I don’t think he’s forgiven; he seems to hold a grudge against him for that, in my view.
“There is also the issue of VBS Bank, so the matter is in the larger scheme of this planned march.
“This is a public issue that shouldn’t be dragged out because of personal issues.”
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There is a need to strike a balance between the EFF’s right to protest, which is guaranteed by the constitution, and the people’s right to freedom of movement.
“That’s why you can’t tell people not to work because you want to start a march. You can’t force ideas down people’s throats,” he said.
One of the demands that should be vented through the EFF shutdown on Monday, is for Ramaphosa to step down from the Phala Phala saga. The energy crisis, especially load shedding, and other service delivery failures are also in demand.
Various groups expressed opposition to the closure, including the ANC, businesses and the Democratic Alliance, which unsuccessfully tried to ban the protests in court.
Individuals such as civil activist Nhlanhla Lux opposed the action, while uMkhonto we Sizwe Liberation War Veterans (MKLWV) avoided the march and denied that its members planned to participate.
“We condemn any attempt to undermine our democracy, through violence, provocation, lack of discipline and intolerance at any level.
“We fight [too] it is difficult for this democracy to be destroyed by lawlessness,” MKLWV said in a statement.
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The business plan is closed
Many businesses planned to close on Monday, including retail, small businesses and hawkers, fearing their goods would be looted by the protesters.
Many Johannesburg vehicle dealers are seen removing their merchandise from their showrooms.
However, Breakfast said the disparity between the rich and the poor in South Africa justified the protests. This is accompanied by high unemployment, high poverty and high levels of inequality in the country.
“There is a case to be made about the gap between the haves and the have-nots in terms of unemployment and so on. I think people need to fight these things because we can’t have an unequal society like this,” he said.
Judging by the security forces that are on alert across the country, there is a serious threat to national security.
“It seems the government wants to make sure that happens [the July riots of] 2021 is no longer about looting and threats to national security. Such outbreaks of violence could lead to regime change. It was very close,” he said.
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“We don’t know what kind of information the security architecture has. For example, do they intercept threats that are not publicly known,” said Breakfast.
It is reported that the country acted on information that there was a plan to burn tires and occupy roads and strategic positions to block traffic, such as goods vehicles.
Breakfast said the EFF should not have used March to sneak in its own political issues through the back door.
“In a democracy if you want to force the president to resign, you have to do it through parliament.”