EFF turns 13: Malema seizes moment as ANC helicopter makes its presence at Thohoyandou event

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema used the party’s 13th-anniversary rally and 2026 local government election manifesto launch in Thohoyandou to assert his political dominance, even as an ANC helicopter circled the venue.

Addressing thousands of supporters, Malema framed the upcoming local government elections as a critical juncture for the country.

Today, South Africa is confronted with a choice that can no longer be postponed. It is a choice between victory or death.

Malema outlined a vision for governance that includes the expropriation of abandoned land and buildings to be redistributed to the youth and students. He also pledged to provide universal free water and electricity to social grant beneficiaries and the unemployed, while vowing to eliminate third-party contracting in municipal procurement in favor of direct employment.

The event, held at Thohoyandou Stadium, saw the EFF leader emphasize that real freedom is unattainable without functioning, corruption-free municipalities.

There can be no dignity without water. Where electricity is unreliable, where roads are unsafe and where clinics cannot serve the sick. Every commitment contained in this manifesto carries weight and is a commitment to restore accountability where it has been eroded.