As cracks widen in South Africa’s Government of National Unity (GNU), EFF leader Julius Malema is actively positioning his party as a potential replacement partner for the ANC in what he describes as a failing coalition. The GNU—currently consisting of the ANC, DA and smaller parties—faces mounting instability, with Malema declaring it effectively “collapsed.”
The EFF leader’s confidence stems from visible tensions between the ANC and DA, particularly regarding the contested BELA Bill and the 2025/26 National Budget passed in early April without DA support. “We’ve shown South Africans this GNU doesn’t exist—it collapsed before our eyes,” Malema stated, highlighting how the ANC relied on minor parties like the Patriotic Alliance rather than its main coalition partner.
Malema, whose party refused to join the GNU in 2024 due to DA involvement, now presents the EFF as a governing alternative—but only if the DA is excluded. “When they start fighting with Helen Zille, we’re stepping in,” he declared, suggesting the EFF would capitalize on any major DA leadership conflict.
The firebrand leader further contrasted his party’s stance with the DA’s, accusing the latter of being open to foreign interference—a pointed critique likely appealing to ANC members skeptical of the DA’s Western-aligned policies.
Public reaction to Malema’s maneuvers has been divided. Some social media users welcomed his stance with calls to “come back home,” while others interpreted his comments as signaling impending EFF participation in the GNU.
With the ANC’s 2027 elective conference approaching and GNU tensions escalating, Malema appears increasingly convinced his long-envisioned ANC-EFF alliance could materialize. As the coalition’s stability weakens, South Africa’s political landscape may be heading toward a significant realignment.
