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WINDHOEK. — The South African opposition party, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), has denied any links with the Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF).
Reports in the local media linked the newly formed NEFF to Julius Malema’s left-leaning opposition party.
NEFF was launched on Tuesday amidst claims it has been inspired by South Africa’s EFF, founded by Julius Malema, the controversial former ANC Youth League firebrand.
It was claimed this week that Malema was at the airport in South Africa to supposedly see off his NEFF counterparts — cementing perceptions the formations are sister parties.
Speaking exclusively to New Era yesterday (Thursday), EFF’s spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said NEFF was not a project of the EFF, but indicated his party is monitoring the situation closely after similar reports surfaced in the South African media.
“We are watching it closely but I can tell you that it is not our project. People in Namibia are independent, therefore you should talk to those comrades in Namibia,” he said.
Ndlozi, who is one of the EFF members of parliament, says his party’s appeal has spiralled beyond South Africa, something that the EFF leadership is pleased with.
“I hope our movement will appeal to the rest of the continent as well as the diaspora,” he said. During NEFF’s launch at Hosea Kutako its “commander-in-chief” Epafras Mukwiilongo said party members were in South Africa for three weeks, where they met with EFF’s commander-in-chief Julius Malema and his team.
Commenting on this, Ndlozi said: “We meet a lot of people who are inspired by what we are doing, so they (NEFF) might be one of the people we met.”
Ndlozi said his party would not stop anyone who pursues EFF’s ideals because the clarion call of genuine empowerment of black people and leftists politics should be widespread.
Meanwhile, the ruling Namibian Swapo party has reportedly described the country’s soon-to-be-launched NEFF opposition party as a hopeless bunch of disgruntled individuals who are imitating Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
Swapo’s Secretary General Nangolo Mbuamba said the new kids on the block were only trying to imitate their South African counterparts.
Mbumba said the allegations made against the ruling party were designed to solicit publicity and sympathy from the electorate.
Analysts also expressed doubt on the success of the NEFF, saying the movement would not shake the Namibian political scene.
Malema’s EFF won 25 seats in Parliament in May elections.
The party’s policies include nationalisation of mines and banks as well as the seizure of white-owned land without compensation. — New Era/news24.com
Online Reporter