Can NEFF really ape EFF?

Julius Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) scooped over one million voters in South Africa’s general elections in May. The party has used its clout of 25 seats in parliament and in provincial legislatures throughout that country to tackle the ruling ANC head-on and has dominated news headlines. Say what you will of Malema, but he continues to occupy the political space left of the ANC with aplomb, giving voice to the frustrated that have been swimming in poverty and hopelessness for too long. The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has now confirmed that the EFF’s Namibian counterpart the Namibia Economic Freedom fighters (NEFF) has been provisionally cleared to compete in the upcoming general elections, slated for November. It remains to be seen whether the NEFF can even come close to achieving the successes associated with Malema’s party. The stated goal of the NEFF is to stop Swapo from winning a two-thirds majority. They have also been openly anti-gay, but it is unclear how that will help them at the polls. What many do not realise in the case of the EFF is that it has an exceptionally strong social media presence, and even advertises government and private sector job vacancies on its Facebook page. The fact is that the NEFF does not have a politician with the charisma and public profile to match Malema. Be that as it may, it will be interesting to see what issues the NEFF will tackle ahead of the elections. The party needs to shake the stigma that it is made of the walking wounded that were ostracised from Swapo.