By Akani Nkuna
The Economic Freedom Fighters are turning to the People’s Republic of China for international support, citing the need for a powerful ally unafraid to defy Western, particularly US’s dominance.
As the party enters a crucial phase of its political struggle, it believes that aligning with China could provide the global backing necessary to advance its revolutionary agenda and counterbalance mounting pressure from Western powers.
“Our calls to strengthen relations with the People’s Republic of China are rooted in this appreciation of where we are globally in politics, and the EFF is a factor, whether our detractors like it or not,” said EFF president Julius Malema at the party’s central command team meeting on Sunday.
During the second central command tam meeting held in Bela Bela this weekend, Malema told EFF that international solidarity was important.
He stressed that any revolution aimed at challenging the dominance of the few over many must garner global support to succeed.
Malema highlighted that achieving true sovereignty was inherently tied to such international backing.
“No revolution has ever been won without international support, and the EFF has reached a phase where we need the support of an ally that is not afraid to associate with us and carries the strength to defy the USA. In this current moment, that ally is the People’s Republic of China,” he added.
He further said that the quest for international solidarity should not be limited to China, but should also reach into the heart of the US, as there were many Americans who opposed US imperialist policies.
“In the same way that Donald Trump and Elon Musk have interfered in our politics as South Africa and found themselves allies in the racist Afrikaner right wing groups, we must find our allies in the USA who will lead the defiance from within,” Malema reiterated.
He called on the EFF members to seek out allies within the US who opposed the genocide in Palestine, which he said was funded and maintained by American taxpayers. He urged for solidarity with those in the US who stood against the erosion of women’s rights and the mistreatment of immigrants.
Furthermore, he encouraged the EFF to build relationships with US congress members in order to present an accurate picture of South Africa, whilst warning against figures like Musk, whom he accused of prioritising business interests through Starlink while disregarding South African laws, to influence global narratives.
“We have already been sanctioned by the USA, we must correct the narrative of why we are sanctioned, before we wake up one day to find a US military base on South African soil,” Malema warned.
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