Rethinking the political ideology of the economic freedom fighters (EFF)

This article contributes to the ongoing scholarly debate about the ideology and political nature of the economic freedom fighters (EFFs). It critiques and challenges the notion that the EFF is a socialist political party. It argues that the EFF is a political party that is not entirely committed to many of its stated socialist goals. Furthermore, the state-centric nature of the party does not necessarily make it socialist. The EFF is a populist party whose ideology borrows heavily from the old national liberation discourse. In this regard, the EFF often positions itself not only as a legitimate alternative to an African National Congress (ANC) that has ‘sold out’, but also as a second coming of a genuine ‘liberation movement’ that will lead ‘the people’ to the promised land of ‘true’ freedom. In the end, however, the EFF is not an alternative left political party ‘of the people’.