The EFF does a complete 180 on supporting ANC leaders

Leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Julius Malema, said that the party will support any vote of no confidence brought against any African National Congress (ANC) premier or mayor in Gauteng. 

“This is due to the disrespectful behaviour of the ANC towards the EFF, particularly in Gauteng and in Ekurhuleni, where the ANC behaves as if it governs alone,” said Malema.

“The inability of the ANC to accept its decline and work with mutual respect with those it cooperates with will be their downfall. The EFF will never allow its voters to be undermined as the table of political expedience.”

Additionally, the EFF leader said that the party will also reject the Gauteng budget, which will soon be presented in the provincial legislature. 

This is a complete reversal of the EFF’s previous stance, in which it has historically voted against motions of no confidence against ANC leaders in Gauteng.

For several years now, the EFF has governed alongside the ANC in all three of Gauteng’s metropolitan municipalities: Tshwane, Ekurhuleni and Johannesburg.

They are also in a coalition in Mogale City in the province’s West Rand.

In November 2025, the EFF rejected the motion of no confidence against Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, tabled by the Democratic Alliance (DA).

In a response to the DA’s request for support on the motion, the EFF said that it appreciates the importance of accountability in governance. 

However, it added, “we must express our deep concern about the conduct and language historically used by the DA towards the EFF and its leadership.”

“Over time, the DA has gone out of its way to demonise our organisation, using language that is inflammatory and inconsistent with mutual respect between political parties in a democratic dispensation.”

The party went on to cite instances of the DA and its members using inflammatory language, such as calling the EFF “enemy number one” and calling its leaders “dangerous demagogues.”

The party, therefore, said it would not participate in discussions with the DA while it continues to delegitimise the EFF publicly, a move the DA called “letting their vendetta against the DA take precedence over the needs of the people of Gauteng.”

The ANC treats us like dirt – Julius Malema

The EFF, furthermore, voted against a motion of no confidence to remove Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero in June 2025. 

The leader’s latest statements likely relate to the fact that EFF councillor and speaker of the Ekurhuleni City Council, Nthabiseng Tshivhenga, was compelled to resign in December under internal pressure within the EFF.

The party had hoped to retain the speaker position despite the resignation; however, the ANC put up its own candidate for the position, Dora Mlambo, on January 26 and won over the DA and EFF candidates.

Highly-placed sources told Sunday World that the EFF demanded that the newly elected ANC speaker step down. 

Shortly after these events, Malema warned on 31 January that the EFF would reject the Gauteng budget and would rally support from the uMkhonto weSizwe party to do the same.

Given that Gauteng is currently governed by a minority coalition and relied on the EFF for support, this could spell big trouble for Lesufi.

“They think they can treat the EFF like dirt and do as they please with us, especially in Ekurhuleni, and very soon they will reap the consequences of their disrespect and disregard for the EFF,” the EFF leader said in a speech following the party’s second plenum at the end of January.