The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) political platform believes it can win 60 percent of the youth vote in next year’s general elections, it said on Wednesday.
It was reacting to a survey by consumer insights company Pondering Panda, which found that one in four young South Africans would vote for a party led by expelled African National Congress Youth League president Julius Malema.

EFF spokesman Floyd Shivambu — also formerly of the ANCYL — said it was inspired by the results of the survey.

“EFF foresees victory in the immediate future, because… 26 percent approves of the Economic Freedom Fighters even before elections happen,” said Shivambu.

“And even before we present all the coherent, consistent, and cogent policy alternatives, we have potential of gaining more than 60 percent of the youth vote,” he said.

Malema reportedly announced earlier this month that he was launching the EFF political platform to shift the approach to the country’s problems from “reconciliation” to “justice”.

The Pondering Panda survey polled 3585 young people aged between 18 and 34 across South Africa.

It found that 35 percent said they would vote for the African National Congress, 26 percent said they would vote for Malema’s party, and 15 percent said they would vote for the Democratic Alliance.

“An absolute majority of the people we have spoken to in all provinces, and via social networks and e-mail, are demanding that Economic Freedom Fighters contest elections in 2014,” Shivambu said.

The political platform had thousands of volunteers who were willing to campaign for EFF in the elections, he said.

“A sizeable number of local independent political formations, community based organisations, non-governmental organisations, and independent movements have expressed the wish to form part of the EFF.”
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