By Akani Nkuna
Economic Freedom Fighters leaders Julius Malema has called on the party’s central command team to intensify efforts in consolidating political power and asserting dominance at the provincial level ahead of the local government elections.
Addressing the leadership in Bela Bela, Malema emphasised the strategic importance of strengthening provincial structures to secure electoral victories and expand the party’s influence across the country.
“We must however improve on our level of organisational work in the province of Gauteng, and this includes building of strong branches, because our structures are readily available for programme action such as the marches we saw for water in the Joburg central business district, but this capacity to mobilise has not translated organisational capacity and this is proven by our performance in by-elections,” said Malema.
Malema has urged his party members in the province to treat the upcoming ward 24 by-election in Soweto on 14 May as a critical test of the EFF’s strength and resolve. He called for a grassroots campaign rooted in community presence and amplified on social media, stressing that leaders must be seen as living solutions to the people’s daily struggles.
Malema commended the Northern Cape for its bold stance against the segregationist town of Orania, describing the provincial leadership as proactive and courageous.
“This is the calibre of provincial leadership we need,” he said, adding that the EFF must become a visible solution in communities.
He urged the province to continue mobilising youth and confronting social issues such as alcohol abuse.
In Mpumalanga, Malema praised the leadership for its strong anti-corruption drive, particularly in exposing tender irregularities and flawed recruitment processes in municipalities. He encouraged other provinces to follow this example, saying the fight against corruption was key to winning back voter confidence.
“Ever since we announced that this is the Year of The Picket Lines, there has not been a day that passes where we have not seen a march or a picket in the Free State, which receives a positive response from the communities of that province,” he said.
Malema expressed serious concern over Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal. He criticised Limpopo’s handling of the funeral of late Fighter Mpahlele, calling it a near embarrassment to the organisation.
He also took aim at Kwazulu-Natal’s leadership for its silence on pressing issues like the closure of Ithala Bank and lack of visible progress in by-elections.
“We must be told as to what measures are being taken to rebuild the EFF in KZN because all indications now are that we are doomed for the same fate in the elections next year if no intervention is made,” he added.
Looking ahead, Malema noted encouraging growth in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape, identifying them as key battlegrounds for the EFF. He called for increased investment and activism in those regions, citing data that suggests rising support for the party.
“The leadership of the EFF in the Eastern Cape must improve on its efforts to take the organisation to the deep rural areas where the former liberation movement is uncontested because the results from this grounded outreach may just surprise us.”
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