Economic Freedom Fighters
Economic Freedom Fighters | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | EFF |
| President | Julius Malema |
| Chairperson | Nontando Nolutshungu |
| Secretary-General | Marshall Dlamini |
| Spokesperson | Sinawo Tambo |
| Deputy President | Godrich Gardee |
| Deputy Secretary-General | Leigh-Ann Mathys |
| Treasurer-General | Omphile Maotwe |
| Founders | Julius Malema Floyd Shivambu |
| Founded | 26 July 2013 |
| Split from | African National Congress |
| Headquarters | 119 Marshall Street, Johannesburg, Gauteng |
| Membership (2022) | 1,085,843 |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Far-left |
| National affiliation | Progressive Caucus |
| Affiliated parties | Namibian Economic Freedom Fighters Economic Freedom Fighters of Swaziland Economic Freedom Party (Kenya) |
| Colours | Red |
| Slogan | Our land and jobs, now! |
| National Assembly | 39 / 400 |
| National Council of Provinces | 11 / 90 |
| Pan-African Parliament | 1 / 5 (South African seats) |
| Provincial Legislatures | 50 / 487 |
| City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality (council) | 30 / 270 |
| Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality (council) | 6 / 120 |
| City of Cape Town (council) | 10 / 231 |
| Website | |
| effonline | |
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is a South African communist and black nationalist political party. It was founded by expelled former African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) president Julius Malema and his allies on 26 July 2013. Malema is president of the EFF, heading the Central Command Team, which serves as the central structure of the party. It is the fourth-largest party in the National Assembly.
The party contested elections for the first time in the 2014 South African general election, garnering 6.35% of the national vote and securing 25 seats in the National Assembly.
The party's primarily political position is that South Africa still has an economic system that benefits white people over black people and that significant reform based upon Marxist principles must be instituted. The party has been a notable advocate for Pan-Africanism.
Since its founding the EFF has been embroiled in several controversies in which it has been said to have used divisive, violent, and racist rhetoric. Malema has been sued for hate speech several times and been found guilty twice. The party has been implicated in multiple corruption scandals. It has been described as violent. According to a judge in the South African Equality court, Malema has "called for racists to be killed". Malema has been convicted on a gun charge.