The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have announced their willingness to join the Government of National Unity (GNU), but with one non-negotiable condition: the removal of the Democratic Alliance (DA) as a coalition partner. Speaking at a media briefing at Winnie Madikizela-Mandela House in Johannesburg on Monday, 3 February, EFF leader Julius Malema made it clear that the party cannot align with the DA, citing the party’s historical and political positions. “We are more than prepared to work with the ANC in the GNU, but we can’t do it if the DA is involved. We won’t let the GNU collapse because Helen Zille says so,” Malema stated.
Malema further accused the DA of being complicit in historical injustices, pointing to the assassination of anti-apartheid leader Chris Hani in 1993. While Hani was killed by Janusz Walus, a Polish far-right immigrant, Malema suggested the DA has long-standing ties to forces opposed to South Africa’s liberation efforts. He also criticized the DA for allegedly lobbying Western powers against progressive South African policies, particularly regarding land reform. The recent signing of the Expropriation Act, which sparked condemnation from U.S. President Donald Trump, was highlighted as an example of foreign interference influenced by the DA.
Trump’s comments on 2 February accused South Africa of “confiscating” land and mistreating certain groups, threatening to cut future U.S. funding to the country. Malema claimed such international backlash is a direct result of the DA’s efforts to undermine the ANC’s reforms. “They thought they could bully the ANC in the GNU, but the ANC is pushing ahead. Now they seek external interventions to undermine South Africa’s sovereignty,” he said.
Reaffirming the EFF’s commitment to social and economic justice, Malema declared the party as the “most potent weapon for liberation” in South Africa. Under the banner of The Year of The Picket Lines, the EFF aims to uplift the country’s poorest communities and secure a decisive victory in the 2026 local government elections. “We call on all of our fighters to remain focused and disciplined and rally behind the collective effort to return the EFF to the people,” Malema concluded.
