This evening, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) will turn its attention to preparations for the launch of its manifesto this weekend, as the country watches President Cyril Ramaphosa deliver his eighth State of the Nation Address (SoNA).

All EFF members of Parliament will boycott the SoNA in solidarity with the leaders that were barred from attending, following a High Court ruling.

Last year, EFF members stormed the stage during Ramaphosa’s SoNA, in contravention of Parliament’s rules.  

They were suspended, without pay, from Parliamentary activities for February.

The EFF said on Thursday that it rejected with contempt the court ruling and called it a suppression of democracy and constitutional accountability in South Africa.

The party plans to appeal the ruling.

“It is evident and certainly beyond reasonable doubt, that the courts continue to be part of the Ramaphosa defence mob, whose primary and sole aim is to protect the racist white capitalist establishment. Courts in South Africa have been reduced to being part of the Ramaphosa defence mob because he is a representative and puppet of the white capitalist establishment,” the EFF stated.

The party further went on to claim that the judiciary was captured by politicians.

The EFF says it will now focus on the launch of its election manifesto, which is set to take place in Durban on Saturday.

It revealed that the manifesto would address 30 years of “systemic failures” by the African National Congress (ANC) and present a plan of action.

“We call on our Ground Forces to pay maximum and optimal attention to work on the ground until election victory. No amount of intimidation and no amount of apartheid-like suppression of our democratic rights will prevent us from consolidating the ground towards a socialist future. We are the generation that this country has been waiting for, and we shall overcome!” the party said.