A study of collective subjectivity and political representation within the Economic Freedom Fighters in the North West province

[摘要] The emergence of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) as a new and 'radical’political party significantly altered the shape of the political landscape in SouthAfrica. As one of the starting points in this paper, I show how the EFF comes out of ahistory in the ANCYL before turning attention to public discussions on theorganisation. These contemporary debates about the EFF have taken numerous forms,oftentimes in deeply polarised ways - from those who argue that the EFF ispejoratively populist or fascist to arguments that the party is a crucial left alternative.Within the context of these debates, this research paper grapples with the question ofthe political character of the EFF, ultimately arguing that the EFF is populist. I use,however, a framework for populism set out by Ernesto Laclau thus marking a breakwith most discussions on the EFF that are often theoretically limited. This researchworks with both the empirical and the theoretical – in doing this I utilise MichaelBurawoy’s 'extended case method’ to ground the discussion and to provide a methodthat encompasses the field research – I used semi-structured interviews andparticipant observation – with a theoretical inquiry. This research is based on theMarikana Branch of the EFF, in the North West Province.In using data from respondents, a number of conclusions about the EFF in Marikanaare drawn out around the membership base of the EFF, organisational structures, therelations with other organisations as well as the class, gender and age substance of theparty. These conclusions partly stand on their own in building an understanding of theEFF. They are also used in a central discussion around populism in the EFF and thebuilding of a collective political subjectivity that is premised on the popular. In thisway, this research works on two interlinked levels that feed into answering questionsaround the EFF as a new political formation. In line with Burawoy’s method that isused throughout this research, I also outline some of the key limitations of usingLaclau’s theory of populism in understanding the EFF and how we move from theselimitations through the work presented around the Marikana Branch.

[发布机构] University of the Witwatersrand