EFF SLAMS ANC'S FIKILE MBALULA OVER "MALICIOUS PROPAGANDA" AND XENOPHOBIC VIGILANTISM ACCUSATIONS
JOHANNESBURG — The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have hit back at African National Congress (ANC) Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula, accusing him of spreading dangerous falsehoods after he alleged the red berets orchestrated door-to-door vigilante campaigns targeting foreign nationals.
The war of words highlights growing political tensions in South Africa, where immigration policies, law enforcement failures, and civilian-led anti-immigrant mobilizations have taken center stage ahead of municipal polls.
EFF Categorically Rejects Door-to-Door Vigilantism
In a scathing public statement, the EFF distanced itself from any form of civilian intimidation or forced expulsions. The party stated that it has never organized or endorsed door-to-door campaigns aimed at threatening foreign nationals, labeling Mbalula’s assertions as manufactured propaganda.
The party defended its ideological stance by emphasizing the following points:
Pan-Africanist Foundations: The EFF reiterated its commitment to continental unity and the rejection of all forms of xenophobia, maintaining that its core principles actively oppose the harassment of African migrants.
Scapegoating the Vulnerable: The party argued that the socio-economic crises facing South Africa cannot be pinned on poor migrants seeking survival. Instead, it placed the blame squarely on corruption, mass unemployment, and the collapse of public infrastructure under the ruling party's three-decade governance.
Mbalula’s Contradictions: The EFF pointed out the political hypocrisy in Mbalula's remarks, noting that while the ANC Secretary-General publicly warns against lawlessness and vigilantism, he simultaneously fabricates stories that put EFF members in physical danger.
Defending the 2022 Hospitality Sector Oversight Visits
The EFF also addressed Mbalula’s attempts to link the party to recent anti-immigrant mobilizations by referencing Julius Malema’s high-profile 2022 restaurant visits. The ruling party had characterized those inspections as the original spark that ignited modern vigilante movements.
The red berets rejected this interpretation as shameless political revisionism, clarifying the nature of those visits:
Constitutional Mandate: The 2022 visits were carried out as part of formal parliamentary oversight duties to verify compliance with South Africa’s labor legislation.
Targeting Employer Exploitation: The investigations aimed to stop corporate exploitation of undocumented workers and ensure both domestic and foreign workers were being employed under lawful, fair, and regulated conditions.
Historical Roots of South Africa's Immigration Crisis
To dismantle the ANC's narrative, the EFF highlighted that systemic xenophobic violence and organized anti-immigrant protests are deeply embedded historical realities that predate the formation of the EFF:
2007–2008: Initial major outbreaks of fatal xenophobic waves and organized anti-immigrant mobilization plague South Africa, culminating in the horrific attacks of 2008.
2008–2013: Years of continuous border management decline and selective enforcement of labor laws by the state, further deteriorating public confidence.
2013: The official formation of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) occurs, years after the original systemic crises took root.
Recent Years: Unchecked civilian vigilante formations emerge openly across communities as a direct consequence of the state abandoning its constitutional responsibilities.
2026: The incumbent ANC administration attempts to shift historic blame, accusing the EFF of igniting the modern crisis through its 2022 parliamentary oversight work.
The EFF argued that by manufacturing an enemy in the opposition, Mbalula is actively trying to absolve the ANC of its historic governance failures. The party concluded that the collapse of border management, the selective enforcement of labor laws, and the subsequent emergence of unchecked vigilante groups are direct consequences of a state that has long abandoned its constitutional responsibilities.
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