HEILBRON, Free State — The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) 2026 Local Government Elections campaign has intensified in the Free State as the November 4 polls draw near. Party leader Julius Malema spearheaded the push in Heilbron, a prominent farming town recognized for its cattle, dairy, sorghum, sunflower, and maize industries, signaling the party’s drive to strengthen its provincial foothold.
With just three weeks remaining before the elections, political parties are rapidly upping the ante. The Democratic Alliance, with Helen Zille vying for the Johannesburg mayoral position, alongside other political formations, are actively outlining their manifestos to sway the electorate. However, the EFF’s focus remains sharply divided between local service delivery and national social welfare.
National Promises and GNU Stance
Addressing supporters in the Free State, Malema made it unequivocally clear that the EFF is not in negotiations with the African National Congress (ANC) to join the Government of National Unity (GNU). This follows ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula’s recent announcement that the party will review the DA’s continued participation in the GNU.
Malema maintained that the EFF’s conditions for joining a national government remain unchanged. He reiterated the party’s previous objections to the inclusion of the DA and the Freedom Front Plus following the 2024 general elections, stating that the EFF conceded defeat but refused to join a coalition under those specific terms.
On the national social welfare front, Malema pledged to increase the monthly old age pension to R4,500 and provide free school uniforms for all learners. Locally, he declared a “war on toilets,” emphasizing that water and sanitation would be the cornerstone of an EFF-led administration. “You have no dignity if you don’t have a flushing toilet,” Malema stated, promising that no citizen would be forced to use the bush for sanitation.
Coalition Frustrations and the Push for a Majority
In the Metsimaholo Local Municipality—where recent demarcation processes have concluded—the EFF is currently part of a coalition government alongside the African Independent Congress (AIC), the ANC, and the Metsimaholo Community Association.
Bosangu Zimanga, the EFF’s mayoral candidate for Metsimaholo and provincial secretary, highlighted the party’s current four seats on the mayoral committee but expressed deep dissatisfaction with the pace of service delivery. Zimanga argued that the EFF needs an outright majority (“50 plus one”) to effectively implement its pro-youth, pro-poor, and pro-unemployed policies without being forced into compromises with what he described as unprincipled coalition partners.
Despite the frustrations, Zimanga pointed to specific strides made by the EFF in the municipality. These include a successful motion to insource security guards and cleaners, which is currently awaiting a feasibility study, and the rollout of electricity, water, and sewer networks to the Con-Muy construction and power station site.
Furthermore, the EFF has proposed writing off R4 billion in unrecoverable debt owed to the municipality by residents. The proposal comes with strict conditions: if residents default on payments within a six-month window, the debt will be reinstated. Zimanga argued this would drastically improve municipal revenue and service delivery.
Governance Indictments
Addressing a recent Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) report that cited weak governance and a lack of consequence management, Zimanga placed the blame squarely on the ANC. He noted that the finance portfolio is led by an ANC Mayoral Committee Member (MMC) and that the municipal administration has been under ANC control for over two decades.
“It is a serious indictment on the municipality, not only here but throughout the province,” Zimanga remarked. He emphasized that the current coalition structure makes it difficult to enforce consequence management, adding that the EFF is applying pressure at the provincial legislature level to demand improvements.
As the campaign trail moves from Heilbron to other northern Free State towns like Sasolburg, the EFF’s red ranks remain determined to translate their coalition frustrations into a decisive mandate at the ballot box on November 4.
