S.Africa's EFF open to 'work with opposition parties' to oust ANC

Could South Africa's proposed opposition coalition include the country's third largest party to oust long-time ruling ANC next year?

If it were up to the Economic Freedom Fighters, that would be the case. Julius Malema spoke Friday (Jul. 14) as the country's biggest opposition party the Democratic Alliance announced 7-party coalition excluding the EFF.

"The EFF would like to work with opposition parties to remove the corrupt ANC from power, but also to give the people of South Africa something different [...] but we cannot impose ourselves on the opposition parties. If they don't want us , will work with those who want to work with us," Malema concluded.

The leaders of the seven parties will hold what they dubbed "historic" talks on August 16 and 17 in Johannesburg to map out "a common vision for a new government."

The African National Congress (ANC), which spearheaded the fight against apartheid, has governed South Africa since the advent of democracy in 1994.

But in next year's legislative elections it risks seeing its share of the vote slide some predict it could fall below 50 percent. 

The ANC's standing is battered by discontent at corruption, power cuts, a sickly economy and entrenched unemployment.

The DA is a liberal party that has a fifth of the seats in parliament. Polls currently indicate it stands to win about 16 percent of the vote.

The militant EFF, which draws inspiration from Marxism-Leninism, is South Africa's third largest party, polling at around 13 percent.

The DA this month described its "Moonshot Pact" as bringing together "different parties -- excluding the ANC, EFF and their proxies."

Under the constitution, the National Assembly meets after the elections in order to choose the president. Usually, a candidate from the party with majority lawmakers wins.

During his Johannesburg presser, Julius Malema also mentioned neighbouring Zimbabwe.

Presidential and parliamentary elections will be held on August 23rd.

Zimbabwe was the largest origin country, accounting for 24 percent of all immigrants in South Africa, according to 2020 United Nations data. 

"We need a stable Zimbabwe, especially ourselves as South Africa, we need a stable Zimbabwe, we so wish that this election are successful and there is no violence, and they produce stability for the sake of our own peace," Malema commented.

"This thing that we see here of Zimbabweans being beaten up and all of that, really it's not nice, it's not nice, so a functioning Zimbabwe will lessen some of these xenophobic tendencies that we come across from time to time."

South Africans will cast their ballots next year for the National and Provincial Election.

Under the constitution, the National Assembly meets after the elections in order to choose the president. Usually, a candidate from the party with majority lawmakers wins.