Economic Freedom Fighters' debuti n the municipal elections

Abstract

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has transformed the South African political landscape since it was established in 2013. In the 2016 municipal election, the EFF won 8.2 percent of the national vote making it the third biggest party after the ANC and the Democratic Alliance (DA). It did not take over any municipalities, but it performed well enough to be the kingmaker in 13 hung councils, including three metros. This paper discusses the EFF's electoral campaign and performance in the 2016 local general election (LGE). It asks whether the EFF has transcended the personality politics of its leader to attract its desired constituency on a broad scale. Has the party managed to move beyond a politics of spectacle to develop the content of its political value proposition? Given the organisational challenges it faces, what are its prospects of being a serious contender for national government in 2019?