The Economic Freedom Fighter’s Rise to Power: A Threat to South Africa’s Democratic Consolidation by Isabel Greta Nel Thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Arts in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Stellenbosch University. Supervisor: Dr Nicola de Jager April 2019 Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Declaration By submitting this thesis electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the sole author thereof (save to the extent explicitly otherwise stated), that reproduction and publication thereof by Stellenbosch University will not infringe any third-party rights and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification. April 2019 Copyright © 2019 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved i Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Abstract The world is witnessing a decline in the support for democracy. This has been evident in numerous countries across the globe and in South Africa today. Domestic and Global Social Structures and Ruptures have created fertile conditions for populism to flourish. Populism in Africa has derived from a fertile environment, one shaped by a distinctive historical context imbued with the ideas of socialism and nationalism. The ideological context also evident in South Africa, combined with the current socio-economic challenges, has resulted in high (but unmet) expectations of the state. High levels of poverty, unemployment and inequality, combined with poor and corrupt governance, have left many young South African citizens marginalised, resentful and discontent towards the current ANC government. Young, economically challenged and dissatisfied citizens have as a result turned to alternative forms of political representation. This has led to the rise of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in South Africa. The presence of populists within a pluralistic, democratic society has been shown to hold dangers for democratic consolidation (Mainwaring and Pérez-Linan,2013). The political attitudes and political tactics that populists employ tend to threaten societal cohesiveness and the stability of democracy. An analysis of the EFF’s political attitudes, policy preferences and behaviour were therefore deemed imperative in understanding whether the party holds a threat for South Africa’s democratic consolidation. An analytical framework outlining the Attitudinal, Behavioural and Structural indicators of democratic consolidation as derived by Schedler (2001) was used in this analysis. Findings reflect that the EFF do not hold intrinsic and normative democratic political attitudes nor moderate policy preferences. The political party’s rejection of democratic norms and their radical socialist policies have reflected this. The EFF’s behaviour demonstrates a willingness to use violence, intolerance for pluralism and disregard for democratic norms and procedures that are necessary in strengthening South Africa’s democratic consolidation. The analysis also shows that EFF employs populist rhetoric and tactics -that threatens the cohesiveness of South Africa’s society. This is discussed by analysing the EFF’s official party documents as well as secondary media sources. The research highlights the dilemma within democracy; that while holding the value of broad political representation, such representation may hold within it the seed of democracy’s and pluralism’s destruction. ii Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Opsomming Die wêreld is besig om waar te neem hoe die ondersteuning en bevordering van demokrasie in Suid Afrika afneem. Dis word waargeneem vanaf verskeie lande regoor die wêreld asook in Suid Afrika. Die Verbrokkeling van Binnelandse asook Globale Sosiale Strukture het tot gevolg dat populisme in vrugbare kondisies floreer. Die groei van populisme in Afrika is opmerklik; nie net vanaf ‘n kenmerkende, historiese konteks nie, maar kan ook getuig van die ontwikkeling van sosialisme en nasionalisme. Hierdie kontekstuele faktore is opmerklik in die huidige sosio-ekonomiese uitdagings wat Suid Afrika in die gesig staar. Hoë vlakke van armoede, werkloosheid en ongelykheid, gekombineer met swak- en korrupte bestuur het menigte jong Suid Afrikaanse burger gemarginaliseerd, verbitter en ontevrede laat voel teenoor die ANC regering. As gevolg, het dit daarnatoe gelei dat jong ekonomies uitgedaagde burgers omgeswaai het na alternatiewe vorme van politiese verteenwoordiging. Dit het gelei tot die onstaan van die EFF in Suid Afrika Daar is bewys dat die teenwoordigheid van populiste in ‘n pluralistiese, demokratiese samelewing gevare inhou vir demokratiese konsolidasie. Ook dat die maatskaplike- en samehangende stabilitiet van ‘n demokrasie bedreig kan word deur die kenmerke en politiese taktieke wat populiste gebruik. Om te bepaal of die party ‘n bedreiging inhou vir Suid Afrika se demokratiese konsolidasie, is dit dus noodsaaklik om die EFF se politiese houdings, beleid, verwysings en optredes te analiseer. ‘n Analitiese raamwerk wat die Houding, Optrede en Strukturele aanwysings omskryf, word nagevors en toegepas deur bevindings van Schedler (2001) in hierdie analise, asook die artikel van Mainwaring & - & Pérez-Linan wat handel oor politiese houdings en verwysings. Bevindings van hierdie analise reflekteer dat die EFF nie oor intrinsieke en normatiewe politiese houdings en matige beleidvoorkeure beskik nie. Die verwerping van demokratiese norme en hul radikale sosialistiese beleid word sterk deur die politieke party gereflekteer. Die EFF se optredes demonstreer geweld, onverdraagsaamheid en verontagsaming van demokratiese normes en prosedures wat vereis word vir die versterking van Suid Afrika se demokratiese konsolidasie. Die analise het ook getoon dat die EFF populisitese kenmerke en taktieke bearbei wat die bedreiging van samehoringheid in Suid Afrika veroorsaak. Die iii Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za offisiële dokumente van die EFF party asook hul waargeneme optredes vanaf sekondêre mediabronne word in hierdie analise bespreek. iv Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Acknowledgments I would like to thank my supervisor Dr Nicola de Jager for your all your patience, encouragement and kindness that has assisted and spurred me to complete this thesis. Your insights have been very valuable and have challenged my critical thinking and analytical skills- for which I am very grateful. It has truly been a year of growth and learning, and I am very thankful for your guidance and support. I would like to thank my family for supporting me throughout this challenging academic journey and making it possible for me to further my studies this year. I cherish this opportunity immensely and your support has been greatly appreciated. Furthermore, I would like to give a special thanks my editor Tertius Nel for all your assistance throughout this process. v Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Table of Content Chapter 1: Outline ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Background and rationale ............................................................................................... 2 1.3 Preliminary Literature Study ........................................................................................... 5 1.4 Research problem and question ...................................................................................... 8 1.5 Analytical Framework .................................................................................................... 9 1.6 Research Methodology ................................................................................................... 9 1.7 Limitations and Delimitations ....................................................................................... 13 1.8 Outline of Thesis ........................................................................................................... 13 1.9 Course of study ............................................................................................................. 14 1.10 Ethical Concerns ........................................................................................................... 14 Chapter 2: Literature Review and Analytical Framework ....................................................... 16 2.2.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 16 2. 2. 2 Identifying Populism ..................................................................................................... 16 2.2.3 Sources of Populism ....................................................................................................... 19 2.3.1 Democracy and Populism ............................................................................................... 26 2.3.2 The dangers of populism in a democratic society ........................................................... 35 2.4 Analytical Framework for Democratic Consolidation ....................................................... 38 2.5 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................... 46 Chapter 3: Populism in Africa and the Rise of the EFF..........................................................