THE POLITICAL ARENA | EFF at 13: can Malema lead a comeback?

Thirteen years after bursting onto South Africa’s political scene, the EFF faces one of its biggest electoral tests yet as it prepares for the 2026 local government elections.

The panel examines the EFF’s decision to deploy senior leaders as mayoral candidates, whether the party has successfully shifted from a protest movement to a governing alternative, and if its support can recover after the emergence of the MK Party. The discussion also explores coalition politics, the EFF’s role as a potential kingmaker, Malema’s political future, and whether the party still has the influence to shape South Africa’s evolving political landscape.