Populist parties shifting the political discourse? A case study of the Economic Freedom Fighters in South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 59 (4) ◽  
pp. 535-558
Author(s):  
Marine Fölscher ◽  
Nicola de Jager ◽  
Robert Nyenhuis
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Economic Freedom ◽  
African National Congress ◽  
Party Leaders ◽  
Political Discourses ◽  
Popular Appeal ◽  
Freedom Fighters ◽  
Dominant Parties ◽  
South African Politics

ABSTRACTThis article examines the use of populist discourse in South African politics. We investigate speeches of leaders from the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and opposition parties, the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). We find that the EFF consistently employs populist appeals, while both the incumbent ANC and official opposition DA largely refrain. Our longitudinal analysis allows an examination of fluctuation across party leaders and electoral cycles, and illustrates that neither the ANC nor the DA have modified their political discourses in light of a rising populist challenger. However, there is some evidence that the two most dominant parties have reformed their programmatic offerings and behaviour in an attempt to compete with the EFF's popular appeal. The South African case offers important insights into the study of oppositional populism on the African continent, and a window into how major political parties may respond to emerging populist contenders.

scholarly journals Zupta's Next Nightmare: The South African Local Government Elections of 3 August 2016

2016 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulf Engel
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
South African ◽  
Voter Turnout ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
African National Congress ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Coalition Politics ◽  
Freedom Fighters ◽  
South African Politics ◽  
Metropolitan Municipalities

On 3 August 2016 South Africa held its fifth local government elections (LGE) since the end of Apartheid in 1994. Against a backdrop of increasing political frustration with the ruling party's poor performance and continued debates about corruption and cronyism in the highest government circles, the African National Congress (ANC) maintained its dominant position but lost 8 per cent of the aggregate vote (53.91 per cent). The Democratic Alliance (DA) gained some 3 per cent (26.89 per cent) of the vote, and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), first-time LGE campaigners, garnered 8.02 per cent. Importantly, the ANC lost control of three of the seven big metropolitan municipalities it had previously held. Since there was no clear-cut majority in four of the eight metros, coalition politics and the art of compromise will become a major feature of South African politics in the coming years. The elections were highly competitive and considered free and fair. At 57.97 per cent, voter turnout was slightly higher than in 2011.

Signals, strongholds, and support: Political party protests in South Africa

Politics ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 026339572093502
Author(s):  
Jacob S Lewis
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
African National Congress ◽  
African Politics ◽  
Credible Commitments ◽  
National Elections ◽  
Protest Movements ◽  
The People ◽  
South African Politics ◽  
Costly Signals ◽  
Opposition Parties

South African politics are in a period of transition: the dominant African National Congress (ANC) is in decline, support for opposition parties has been rising, and voters have been disengaging rapidly from the electoral process. As protest movements have become more common and more powerful, established political parties have increasingly led their own protests, often addressing the same issues that citizens rise up about. This phenomenon has been understudied but has important ramifications for the future of South African politics. This article addresses this gap in the literature, arguing that party-led protests can be interpreted as costly signals of credible commitments to address the very issues that citizens are upset about. In a time when established parties are losing support, they may turn to these costly protests to demonstrate their commitment to addressing the needs of the people. Using counts of party-led protests and riots as well as election outcomes in the 2004, 2009, 2014, and 2019 national elections, this article demonstrates that party-led protests primarily target stronghold municipalities. In doing so, they positively correlate with vote-shares during elections. This boon accrues primarily to the opposition parties, but not the incumbent ANC.

South African lockdown easing should reduce hardship

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Infection Rate ◽  
Economic Freedom ◽  
State Capacity ◽  
Political Capital ◽  
Death Rates ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Poor State ◽  
Religious Services ◽  
Freedom Fighters

Significance The re-opening comes despite an infection rate that is expected to peak only later this year. Impacts The Economic Freedom Fighters and ANC-aligned populists will try to make political capital out of increasing infection and death rates. The government’s failure to deliver promised COVID-19 relief quickly and effectively has thrown fresh light on poor state capacity. Allowing church and other religious services to re-open has raised renewed questions over the coherence of Pretoria’s regulations.

Rising South African populism will divide parties

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Political Violence ◽  
Land Reform ◽  
Economic Freedom ◽  
Capital Flight ◽  
Land Expropriation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Freedom Fighters ◽  
The Government

Significance His comments come amid lingering concern over parliament’s endorsement last month of land expropriation without compensation. The contested policy was proposed by the leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and backed by the ruling ANC, but the main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) argues that such a policy will jeopardise property rights and lead to capital flight. Impacts Improving national land and agricultural data collection will prove crucial to substantive land reform. Attempts to overhaul land reform policy could see a deterioration in relations between the government and traditional leaders. Political violence in flashpoints such as KwaZulu-Natal province could worsen ahead of the 2019 poll.

Reminisces of Participants in the Struggle against Apartheid about Studying in the USSR (1960s–1980s)

2021 ◽  
pp. 191
Author(s):  
Daria A. Turianitsa
Keyword(s):  
Soviet Union ◽  
South African ◽  
African National Congress ◽  
White People ◽  
South Africans ◽  
The Soviet Union ◽  
Racial Perceptions ◽  
Freedom Fighters ◽  
State Of Affairs ◽  
Thabo Mbeki

This article is a review of South African cadets’ and students’ memoirs that received political or/and military education in the Soviet Union as a part of Soviet assistance in solidarity against the apartheid. Most of them were fighters of the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC) “Umkhonto we Sizwe”. This paper examines and cites the curious aspects of Soviet life noted by the arriving students, among whom was the ex-President of South Africa Thabo Mbeki, as well as many former and current high-ranking authorities of this country. It is worth saying that the authors of the published recollections highlighted not only the positive aspects of their stay in the Soviet Union, but also did mentioned some negative sides, thus providing a more “complete” picture. However, one should not forget that in many ways the description of certain events was directly related to the student’s outlook and could differ from the real state of affairs. The authors of this article were especially interested in what trainees expected to see in the USSR, how their relations with Soviet citizens were built, and what experience they kept in mind at the end of their studies. The authors tried, partially quoting the memoirs of some freedom fighters, to answer these questions. It is worth pointing out that as one of the main results of cooperation Soviet officers and other instructors, by their own example, were able to change the racial perceptions of South Africans by showing how “white” people could be.  

scholarly journals Elusive Pursuit of Reconciliation and Development in Post-Apartheid South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Economic Freedom ◽  
Economic Transformation ◽  
African National Congress ◽  
Inclusive Development ◽  
The Political ◽  
Slow Pace ◽  
Political Landscape ◽  
Freedom Fighters ◽  
National Congress

Debates on whether reconciliation is taking place and particularly the issue of inclusive development continue in South Africa. Reconciliation is understood as a process whereby different population groups in South Africa peacefully coexist and restore amicable relations which were fractured by colonialism and apartheid. Inclusive development has to do with the socio-economic transformation that involves, or rather benefits all the peoples of a country. Socio-economic transformation is considered slow since the dawn of democracy, with nation-building, development, freedom, and related objectives having suffered in post-apartheid South Africa. The notions of justice and inclusivity require comprehensive analysis, especially many years after the formal end of apartheid in 1994. The paper examines development and reconciliation, in seeking an explanation for what appears to be a changing political landscape in South Africa, epitomised by the decline in the number of votes that the governing party, the African National Congress (ANC), is receiving since 2009 while the Economic Freedom Fighters, a relatively new party, is gaining traction. It is argued that the slow pace of inclusive development and weak reconciliation are compromising the ANC, resulting in the evolution of the political landscape in South Africa. Essentially, the inability to improve reconciliation has resulted in weak inclusive development and makes it difficult for South Africa to become a nation.

scholarly journals IN LIGHT OF ‘NKANDLA’, WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE PUBLIC PROTECTOR IN UPHOLDING THE RULE OF LAW IN SOUTH AFRICA?

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aadelah Shaik Yakoob
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Rule Of Law ◽  
Economic Freedom ◽  
National Assembly ◽  
The Rule Of Law ◽  
The Public ◽  
Freedom Fighters

The focus of this article will be to ascertain what role, if any, the Public Protector plays in achieving and upholding the rule of law as envisaged in section 1(c) of the Constitution. In doing so, I will assess the powers of the Public Protector as envisaged by the Constitution and supporting legislation and analyse the effect of recommendations made by the Public Protector. I will then offer a discussion on certain shortfalls within the legislation that have become a hindrance to the Public Protector achieving her mandate in practice. I will, further, highlight the importance of the powers of the Public Protector as an avenue to achieving the rule of law, and, offer an analysis of the judgments in South African Broadcasting Commission v Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters v Speaker of the National Assembly. I will, finally, conclude by discussing possible solutions to the challenges faced by the Public Protector in practice and offer a summary of my views.

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