The EFF is celebrating 10 years of “unbroken struggle” having been formed on July 26, the anniversary of the movement that sparked the Cuban revolution.
This was after the expulsion of then leader of the ANC Youth League, Julius Malema, and the suspension of his colleagues.
While many believed the EFF didn’t have what it takes to establish themselves as a key roleplayer in South African politics, positing that the hype around the party’s formation will eventually wear off and disperse, they replaced the Congress of the People (COPE) – another ANC breakaway – as the third biggest party in South Africa and, unlike COPE, who had a strong showing at their first elections only to shrink almost to non-existent in the next, they increased their National Assembly seats from 25 in the 2014 elections to 40 in the 2019 elections.
They are in government in a number of municipalities, effectively the face of land expropriation without compensation and dubbed the voice of the downtrodden.
The party has proved to have staying power and has established itself as a radical leftist organisation and been uncompromising in their dedication to the struggle of black people in general, and Africans in particular.
The EFF is 10 years old, and while the biggest event will be a gathering at the FNB Stadium on July 29, the party has been engaged in a number of events in the build-up to the main spectacle.
One thing that has particularly stood out for me is how the party has made the arts (industry) central to these celebrations.
In the context of nation building, understanding the total social impact of the arts is crucial beyond personal development. The arts bring together cultures of all sizes to create stronger communities. The arts offer a chance to socialise with individuals from all walks of life, from fine art exhibitions to community theatre performances and music: from Soul City on the public broadcaster which brought attention to the HIV/Aids epidemic; to artists like Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela and Brenda Fassie, among many others, who tackled social and political issues through music; to authors like Es’kia Mphahlele who wrote about apartheid as it was unfolding in South Africa.
Moreover, history has always been creatively preserved over the years by varied points of view and scenarios presented in art.
By presenting viewpoints that stood out and challenged the status quo, art has also played a crucial role in becoming the forerunner of change in society. Art serves as a form of social memory. Even more so than historical fact-based documents, artists maintain life as we know it through expressive mediums like music, literature, and other forms of art.
The EFF is engaging in political education through the arts to help its members and the larger broader society to comprehend the nature and structure of the society, as well as their place within it and the role they are expected to play in order to ensure the successful advancement of the country as per their objectives.
In May, the party premiered a stage play called Leruo at the Soweto Theatre: a play reflecting the material conditions of the poor, in their quest for a better life. Importantly, the play reflects, through the lenses of the political party, some of the nation’s overarching issues, like gender-based violence, corruption, and the plight of those in the peripheries, like the Marikana Massacre.
At the beginning of the month, the EFF conducted a private listening session at the FNB Stadium and officially launched its fifth album to commemorate its 10th anniversary. The album is comprised of genres like a cappella, gospel, Afrobeat and the one taking the world by storm, amapiano – as a way of reaching out to the young and old and different demographics that make up this beautiful country – responding to the consciousness of not only the red berets but of society as a whole.
The EFF then opened an exhibition at Uncle Tom’s Hall in Orlando – showcasing the history of the party and pivotal moments that have shaped it in the last 10 years.
They also have a planned carnival for July 22 – which will be anchored on music and dance.. It should be noted it was the EFF that provided relief packages to artists that had supported the party at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, in order to alleviate the pressure that was faced by artists at the time.
In a country where politicians don’t give the arts the honour it deserves; in a country where any minister delegated to sports, arts and culture is seen as “demoted”, the EFF must be commended for how it has shone the light on the arts.
This is particularly important, considering the plight of artists in South Africa and how the government only shows up to pay for funeral costs.
Artists still lack the legal protections that would allow them to get the fair royalties they are due.
This was laid bare when Shaleen Surtie-Richards, a famed actress, passed away, and there were reports that she was unable to afford to check herself into a hospital owing to financial restraints – which brought attention to the situation of performing artists once more.
Also, to be noted, the EFF has been unwavering in their advocacy for paying royalties to the artists, not only in rhetoric, but by deploying two artists to Parliament, namely Ringo Madlingozi and Eugene Mthethwa – the latter has been vocal about the lack of financial security for artists in the country.
Many performing artists have limited ability to safeguard themselves and their dependants from social risks that were exacerbated during the pandemic.
This is clear from the numerous, heartbreaking media headlines that surface after the passing of numerous performing stars in South Africa. In our country, the only thing artists leave behind, albeit a few who have managed to keep their fortune, is legacies.
But legacies don’t pay the bills. It is therefore important that the EFF has made the arts central to the party’s 10th anniversary celebrations.
As the nation awaits political will from lawmakers in parliament to address the harmful provisions in the Copyright Amendment and Performers’ Protection Amendment bills, I will join South Africans in extending congratulatory messages to the Fighters on a decade of existence.
Gumbi is from the Institute for Pan African Thought and Conversation at the University of Johannesburg.
Cape Times