The EFF branches that will be attending the party’s third national conference in December will have to discuss whether to give the party’s highest decision-making body powers to parachute newcomers to party top structures.
This controversial proposal is contained in the EFF Third National People’s Assembly (NPA) discussion documents.
The NPA is expected to convene in December to elect new national leaders of the party and recommend new policy positions and constitutional amendments.
The document wants the EFF central command team (CCT) to be given sweeping powers to pedestalise newcomers who do not qualify for top structures as the CCT itself.
Due to what has recently happened to the party, delegates who will be present at the third NPA are most likely to debate the move vigorously.
This is in reference to newcomers who were parachuted to key deployments, like in parliament, who proved to have not been loyal to the party.
Mkhwebane resigns from the EFF
Recently, Mzwanele Manyi, who was announced as an EFF MP the same week he joined, has left the party for MK Party, barely six months after joining.
On Wednesday, another EFF MP who was parachuted as a newcomer, advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane, announced that she was leaving the party.
But the party now wants to extend the experiment that has backfired badly to its internal structures from CCT downwards to the branch command team (BCT).
“The CCT must be empowered, in consideration of the growth, strength and influence of the organisation, to allow the election of people who do not qualify to be in any structure at any level due to not having been members of the EFF for the required number of years,” reads the discussion documents
“The 3rd NPA must consider this option to ensure that the leadership recruits new talent, particularly people with rare skills, with substantial followings like traditional and religious leaders, as well as political leaders who close down their organisations to join the EFF.”
The EFF CCT will have the authority to co-opt up to six newcomers if a majority of the delegates present at the gathering in December approve of this proposal.
This while the CCT, using the same rule, can also decide to parachute no more than four provincial command teams, up to three regional command teams, and no more than two BCT newcomers.
Another proposal under the organisational redesign section includes a suggestion for the formation of a Youth Command to focus on matters affecting young people.
While doing so, the delegates will be expected to further air their views on whether the formation of the Youth Command should mean the disbandment of the EFF Students Command (EFF SC) or merging the two.
Since its formation 11 years ago, the EFF has so far managed one wing, the EFF SC.
Youth Command
Over the years, there has been a raging debate within EFF about whether it would be a wise move to establish a Youth Command and Women’s Command akin to the ANC Youth League and ANC Women’s League.
While silent on Women’s Command, the party has put on the table for discussion the possibility of a Youth Command.
The party appears to have woken up to the challenges presented by having only the students command, which is limited to institutions of higher learning.
This while young people constitute most of the South African population and the EFF is not formally mobilising young people in basic education and the broader community.
This has allowed the ANC-aligned Cosas (Congress of South African Students), which mobilises in high schools, to dance alone while the ANC Youth Leage remained unchallenged for the longest time to youth in general.
“In the formation of the Youth Command, the NPA must decide if the EFF Student Command becomes the chapter of the Youth Command or it becomes the Youth Command altogether,” read the discussion documents.
“Meaning, branches that exist in campuses become youth command based in institutions of higher learning and as those in ward.
“In addition, we must also determine if we also form Youth Command branches in high schools in the founding of the Youth Command. In essence, all education institutions must have an EFF presence.”
