The EFF has excluded three prominent celebrities, including R&B singer Ringo Madlingozi, kwaito star Eugene Mthethwa, and acclaimed actor Fana Mokoena, from its top 100 parliamentary candidates list, which was recently revealed. This decision has sent shockwaves through the arts community, as the EFF had previously emphasized its commitment to the arts industry by deploying these individuals to parliament.
Fana Mokoena, a founding member of the EFF, served in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) before moving to the national assembly. Ringo Madlingozi and Eugene Mthethwa became EFF MPs after the 2019 elections, with Mthethwa joining more recently.
Despite their previous roles, these celebrities will now be watching parliamentary proceedings from their television sets, although there’s a possibility that the party’s central command might reconsider their exclusion due to their significant public profiles.
EFF’s national spokesperson, Sinawo Thambo, declined to comment on the specific exclusion of these individuals, instead highlighting the diversity and qualifications of the candidates on the list. Thambo emphasized the party’s satisfaction with the selection process and the caliber of candidates chosen to lead the nation.
Notably, other high-profile figures, including former public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane, political figure Mzwanele Manyi, Carl Niehaus, and Magasela Mzobe, also find themselves lower on the candidate list than expected, raising eyebrows within the party.
However, it’s clear that EFF’s national officials hold prominent positions on the list, with former officials Godrich Gardee, Hlengiwe Mkhaliphi, and Leigh-Anne Mathys featuring prominently. Additionally, young leaders within the party, such as national spokesperson Thambo, head of presidency Vuyani Pambo, and EFF Students Command boss Sihle Lonzi, are gaining significant traction, even surpassing former sensation Mbuyiseni Ndlozi in ranking.