Collen Malatji brands EFF a failed party — urges it to close and return to the ANC in fierce jab

African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) president Collen Malatji has launched a scathing attack on the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), describing the party as a “failed” political organisation and urging its members to abandon it and return to the ANC.

Malatji’s remarks have added another dimension to the longstanding political rivalry between the ANC and the EFF, two organisations whose relationship has been characterised by fierce disagreements over leadership, political direction and the future of South Africa.

In his criticism, the ANCYL president did not mince his words, questioning the EFF’s political relevance and suggesting that the organisation had failed to achieve what it initially promised its supporters.

He went further by describing the EFF as a “stockvel”, using the term in a dismissive reference to what he views as the party’s shortcomings as a political organisation.

Malatji also called on EFF members and supporters to shut down what he characterised as a failed political project and return to the ANC, the organisation from which the EFF emerged following Julius Malema’s expulsion in 2012.

The EFF was established in 2013 under Malema’s leadership, positioning itself as a radical alternative to the ANC and campaigning on issues including economic freedom, land redistribution without compensation, nationalisation and the empowerment of black South Africans.

Since its formation, the red berets have established themselves as a significant force in South African politics, particularly through their outspoken parliamentary interventions and confrontational approach towards the governing party.

However, the party has also faced internal leadership disagreements, political challenges and questions about its future direction, providing ammunition for critics who have questioned its long-term sustainability.

Malatji’s intervention comes against the backdrop of an increasingly competitive political environment in which the ANC is facing pressure to rebuild its support base following declining electoral performance.

For the governing party, winning back voters who have shifted their allegiance to opposition organisations remains an important political objective, particularly among younger South Africans.

The ANCYL president’s comments are likely to reignite debate about the relationship between the two organisations and whether former ANC supporters who joined the EFF could eventually reconsider their political allegiance.

Nevertheless, the EFF has consistently presented itself as an independent political movement with its own ideological identity and ambitions.

Whether Malatji’s call will resonate with EFF supporters remains to be seen, but his remarks have once again exposed the deep political divisions between the ANC and the party that emerged from its ranks.

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