EFF statement on elections outcomes
16 May 2019
The Economic Freedom Fighters welcomes the outcomes of the 2019 General Elections and conveys its sincere gratitude and thankfulness to the more than 1.8 million voters who showed confidence in the organisation. When comparing the 2014 and 2019 General Elections, the EFF recorded the most tremendous growth, meaning that more and more South Africans have confidence in the struggle for economic freedom.
As a result of the 2019 elections, the EFF has 103 Members of Parliament and Members of Provincial Legislatures, with 44 in the National Assembly, 9 in the National Council of Provinces, and 50 MPLs. We particularly welcome the fact that the EFF is now the official opposition in 3 provinces, and has shown tremendous growth in the province of Kwa-Zulu Natal.
As leadership of the EFF, we say thank you to our relentless, militant and hardworking Ground Forces, who responded to the call to speak to each and every voter. The growth of the EFF is as a result of the work done by Ground Forces, some who went without food and regalia of the organisation. To these Ground Forces, we say salute and affirm that history will bestow you with the honour of being true soldiers in the war for economic emancipation.
What the 2019 Election results revealed, is that mainstream media in South Africa is not in touch with reality and what is happening on the ground. If it were according to the capitalist and establishment media wishes, Cyril Ramaphosa would have achieved 80% ANC victory, and yet in reality the ANC support reduced in all provinces under his leadership. The entire capitalist establishment, including international media tried to impose Ramaphosa on the people of South Africa, and a significant number refused to be puppets. The reality is that despite being presented as the best of the best, Ramaphosa performed worse than Jacob Zuma, meaning that to ordinary people, Ramaphosa is no better than Zuma.
While we welcome the results, we believe that the Independent Electoral Commission should develop adequate internal capacity to prevent voters from casting their ballots more than once. The IEC should build capacity to tally the number of voters on a constant basis. The manner in which the IEC system of voter verification and consolidation of votes is structured can be abused. The EFF is concemed with the reports of double voting, and believe that to avoid mistakes and to properly understand the nature and extent of the problem, the IEC should hire independent auditors to look into the extent, scale, and scope of double voters.
When the 2021 Local Govemment Elections happen, IEC should have modernised its systems and monitoring capacity to prevent double or triple voting. The IEC must be beyond reproach because its incapacity and incompetence will lead to violence and unworkable political environment. The 6th Parliament must immediately give the IEC a clear mandate to modernise and improve its systems, and monitor such so that we don't have the problems we encountered when the Local Government Elections happening in 2021.
Absent EFF Councillors
We have received endless complaints about some EFF councillors who never participated in advancing the work ofthe elections. In fact some have long been absent from organisational work, including refusing to buy bakkies as per resolutions of the CCT.
It is important to underscore that positions of the EFF are not for self-seeking careerists. Councillors and all Public Representatives are called upon to advance the work of the revolution. If you will not participate in building the EFF, you cannot represent it in any council, legislature or parliament. We shall therefore be recommending a special Disciplinary Process to the CCT, to deal specially with councillors who have absconded and defied the organisation during the election period.
Parliament and our Demands
Our people shall never be disappointed with the mandate they have given us. We are going into parliament and legislatures with more determination to ensure that all our manifesto commitments are realised. Our National Chairperson and Treasurer General will not be taking up their seat in parliament. We felt that our National Chair will better serve our revolution outside parliament and our TG will not be available due to ill health.
The EFF's tasks in Parliament will be completion of the work that could not be completed by the 5th Democratic Parliament, which include:
1. Amendment of Section 25 of the Constitution to allow for Expropriation without Compensation.
2. Amendment of the South African Reserve Bank Act to discontinue private shareholders in the Bank.
3. Amendment of the Banks Act to allow the existence of State Owned Banks.
4. Enactment of a law that will make it compulsory for all Government departments and entities to insource workers, particularly Security Guards, cleaners and general workers.
We demand that Ramaphosa must reduce the cabinet, and do away with Deputy Ministers. If he does not do this, it will be a declaration of war and we shall respond decisively. Parliament is no playground, and its teeth will bite whenever necessary.
We shall work hard to realise 1 000/0 Free Education where the state provides funding upfront, including for accommodation and study material. Early Childhood Development must be professionalised and integrated into the Basic Education system, where teachers are directly paid by the state like all other teachers. We will ensure that all girl children in schools and universities get free sanitary towels, including at home through clinics.
We will fight for the 24 hour clinic to be realised across the country, with full mediætion and competent nursing staff. We shall demand that all people with disabilities must be given free houses in a period of 12 months. The state must provide free wheelchairs to all who require them. Any country that does not care for people with disabilities cannot claim a clean human rights record.
We shall further demand that there should be a three-month period declared and dedicated to cleaning all black townships and informal settlements. Following this, a clear strategy of sustainability of how cleaning must be developed and adhered to. We shall do the same in municipalities where we have influence. And when we take over in Tshwane, we will prioritise sustainable refuse collection and cleaning of townships.
Our people deserve better. The days of subjecting them to live in close proximity with rubbish must come to an end.
We will be zooming into the financial sector to uproot anti-black racism and general marginalisation of black people from investments. We shall fight to the end against all the banks that hate black people, and treat them as high risk, simply because they are black.
Finally, we reiterate our call for African Unity. We shall continue to advocate for the free movement of goods and people in the African continent which is long overdue.
We shall never retreat from this principle even if in the immediate it seemed to threaten our electoral growth. We shall never compromise principle for political expediency; the unity of the African continent is paramount to the success of any of its individual countries, including South Africa.
Issued by Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, National Spokesperson, EFF, 16 May 2019
