The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) will hold its third National People's Assembly to elect new leadership between December 12 and 15, as party leader Julius Malema lauds members’ behaviour, calling it a sign of political maturity.  

The EFF’s National People's Assembly will take place at the Nasrec Expo Centre, with the party’s branches preparing to convene meetings to meet the party’s October 30th deadline.

“A branch that meets the requirements is a branch that has 100 paid-up members who are registered to vote in their branch and received a minimum of 10% of the votes in the 2024 National and Provincial Elections,” he explained.

Malema stated that the party’s top brass were satisfied that most EFF members had conducted themselves with “maximum discipline” and in line with the party’s guidelines released in July, which he said demonstrated a sign of political maturity and the growth of the organisation, with the exception of minor incidents and disputes, which he said were all positively resolved.  

“We want to commend all delegates and encourage all of them to continue with maximum discipline to defend the movement because there will be temptations to provoke us; there will be information peddlers and spies. We must remain vigilant,” he said.

Malema said in addition to the consideration of constitutional amendments, the national assembly must review the work of the current leadership against the adopted programme of action by the second National People's Assembly and adopt a new programme of action for the next five years.

“We will appoint an independent, reputable electoral commission, which, as stated in the guidelines, will facilitate nominations and voting for leadership. All nominations and voting for leadership will take place at the Assembly in a transparent and orderly manner, as we have done in the past,” he assured.

Malema pointed to an Organisational Character and Re-design Perspective, which he said was an update to previous organic perspectives, with a stronger emphasis on how the organisation can “defend, rebuild, and advance” the struggle for economic freedom.

He said there was a proposal to build “strong, sustainable, and viable” organisational structures starting by increasing the membership requirement for a branch from 100 to 200 members, and a presence in voting districts.

“The perspective also advances that every member must be an activist with direct influence on potential voters. Additionally, it proposes the establishment of a robust membership system that can account for each member and supporter of the EFF in terms of age, gender, and occupation,” Malema explained.

Finally, the perspective proposes doing away with the student command and reorganising it into a youth command that unifies all young people into a single structure, encompassing those in schools, universities, at work, and the unemployed.

ISRAEL

Malema said his party rejects the “imperial forces” marking October 7 as the day the Israeli-Palestinian War began, saying it was, in fact, October 9.

So far, more than 43 000 lives have been lost in the onslaught on Palestine, following attacks on Israel by Hamas.

Malema urged the cancellation or suspension of economic relationships, trade agreements, and academic relations with Israel, noting that the EFF supported the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement.

The party once again condemned Israel’s ongoing “expansion of violence and illegal occupation” in the Middle East.

“The Iranian missile response to Israel’s aggression against Lebanon, Syria, and the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah is a just and necessary defence,” the EFF said.