EFF turns 12: Can Malema's newfound maturity overcome his troubled past?

Daily Maverick

29-07-2025

As the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) recently celebrated its 12th anniversary, Julius Malema — its co-founder and self-styled commander-in-chief — stood at the symbolic centre of a political movement that has defied expectations, disrupted the status quo, and, undeniably, altered the terms of public debate in South Africa.
But as the EFF matures, so too must we sharpen our scrutiny — not only of its political contributions but of the ethical terrain its leadership has traversed.
There is no gainsaying the fact that Malema has, in recent years, displayed a notable degree of political maturation. The man once derided as the enfant terrible of South African politics has increasingly adopted a more measured, calculated posture. The inflammatory rhetoric, frequent provocations and theatrical defiance that once defined his engagements have, at times, been replaced with disciplined messaging and tactical manoeuvring.
This shift is a welcome development and could well signal a new chapter for his party, and South African politics more broadly.
Yet, this apparent evolution cannot be appraised in isolation from Malema's chequered history — a history marked not only by political controversy but by deeply troubling allegations of corruption, the abuse of power, and ethical compromise.
Long before the red overalls and parliamentary theatrics, Malema's political ascent was shadowed by his entanglement in what many regard as the systematic plunder of Limpopo's public coffers.
Central to this was his association with On-Point Engineering, a company controversially awarded multimillion-rand contracts by the Limpopo Department of Roads and Transport during his tenure as president of the ANC Youth League. A 2012 Public Protector's investigation found that On-Point had only one shareholder, Guilder Investments, which in turn was owned equally by the Gwangwa Family Trust and the Ratanang Family Trust.
Beneficial ownership
Critically, the Ratanang Family Trust's sole beneficiary was Malema's young son. Initially, Malema himself was the sole trustee, later joined by his then 83-year-old grandmother, raising serious questions about beneficial ownership, financial oversight and governance.
The investigation revealed that On-Point was not merely a service provider, but played a gatekeeping role in procurement decisions — effectively influencing the awarding of subcontracts, some of which were suspected of being structured to benefit politically connected individuals.
This was not a lapse in judgement; it pointed to a deliberate and concealed enrichment scheme involving public funds.
Soon after, Malema came under fire from the South African Revenue Service (SARS), which conducted a forensic audit that exposed undeclared income and lifestyle expenditures grossly disproportionate to his known earnings. SARS estimated his tax debt to exceed R16-million, leading to the attachment and auctioning of his assets, including an incomplete Sandton mansion, a farm in Limpopo and other property.
For a self-proclaimed revolutionary, these revelations laid bare a disconcerting contradiction between rhetoric and reality.
Yet perhaps the most corrosive episode in Malema's recent political career is his and his party's alleged indirect benefit from the looting and eventual collapse of VBS Mutual Bank — a scandal that devastated vulnerable municipalities and poor rural depositors.
While Malema has yet to be charged, forensic reports and investigative journalism suggest that he and individuals close to him — notably former deputy EFF leader Floyd Shivambu — benefited from illicit payments, some of which reportedly funded EFF events and lifestyle costs. His denials have been vociferous, but remain unaccompanied by transparency or accountability measures within the party.
Taken together, these episodes reflect a troubling pattern: one in which 'revolutionary credentials' are paired with allegations of corruption, asset concealment, and the opportunistic use of public institutions for private gain. The EFF, which positions itself as a moral antidote to ANC rot, has yet to reconcile these contradictions or offer credible self-correction.
And yet, we now see a more measured Malema — an ostensibly more mature figure engaging more constructively in parliamentary debates and public discourse. His interventions around land reform, economic justice and youth unemployment have been impactful. He commands a loyal political base and has injected energy into a lethargic political ecosystem.
But maturity in politics is not merely about improved tone or tactical discipline. It is fundamentally about ethical consistency and principled leadership.
If the EFF is to be taken seriously as a party of the future, it must demonstrate that it can rise above the temptations of patronage and personal aggrandisement that have engulfed its political adversaries. Its internal culture must mirror the constitutional accountability it demands of others.
The EFF's decision to provide a platform to amaXhosa King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo — who used the occasion of the party's birthday celebrations to hurl wild, intemperate invective at President Cyril Ramaphosa — and Malema's persistent posture on the Dubul' iBhunu chant undoubtedly sullied the optics. That the mercurial monarch, himself a controversial figure with a chequered past, was afforded such a platform not only undermined the dignity of the event but raised questions about the party's judgement and its selective application of respect for democratic decorum.
Criminal case
For Malema, who is currently awaiting the outcome of a criminal case stemming from his public discharge of a firearm, the challenge is even more acute.
To lead meaningfully in the next phase of our democracy, he must move beyond carefully curated optics and face the hard reckoning of past conduct.
That means cooperating fully with law enforcement agencies, inviting independent scrutiny of his personal and party finances, and upholding the rule of law even when it is inconvenient. The moral high ground cannot be claimed while cloaked in unresolved allegations.
Poignantly, recent developments in the conviction of a self-confessed accused — and the ongoing trial of other co-accused — in the assassination of Sindiso Magaqa, Malema's former trusted Youth League lieutenant for whom he has long demanded justice, must surely come as a welcome relief to him.
As the EFF celebrates its 12th year of existence, it stands at a crossroads. Its success will be determined not only by its ability to mobilise and inspire, but by its willingness to hold itself to the standards it professes. South Africans are tired — not just of corruption, but of hypocrisy masquerading as radicalism.