- EFF leader Julius Malema addressed party supporters at a campaign rally in Heilbron in the Free State on 17 October 2026
- Malema argued that Eskom should not operate for profit, citing South Africa's low electricity production costs due to local coal
- The EFF leader proposed linking the Sassa database directly to municipal systems to automatically register grant recipients as indigent
Source: Twitter
FREE STATE — Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema used a campaign rally in Heilbron on 17 October 2026 to lay out his party's vision for making electricity more affordable for South Africans.
According to SABC News, the address followed a community meeting in Metsimaholo where residents raised concerns about local services. Malema used the occasion to speak directly to the cost of electricity and the role of state entities in bringing it down.
Malema targets Eskom's profit motive
The EFF leader argued that because South Africa produces coal domestically, the actual cost of generating electricity is relatively low. On that basis, Malema contended that Eskom should not be run as a profit-generating entity. He said the power utility should only generate enough revenue to cover its operational costs, which he believes would translate directly into lower electricity tariffs for consumers.
Sassa and municipal systems in the crosshairs
Beyond electricity, Malema also addressed how government support reaches vulnerable households. He argued that social grants and municipal services are both funded by the state, and that closer coordination between the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) and local municipalities is long overdue.
His proposal centres on linking the Sassa beneficiary database directly to municipal administrative platforms. Under this model, anyone registered as a social grant recipient would automatically be classified as an indigent resident within their municipality, removing the need for separate applications. Malema said this alignment would make it easier for struggling households to access the support they are entitled to without navigating multiple bureaucratic processes.
The rally in Heilbron formed part of the EFF's broader campaigning activity in the Free State ahead of upcoming elections to be held on 4 November 2026.
The EFF posted a video of Malema's address on its X account. View the tweet here:
EFF slams ANC in election campaign ad
In a related article, Briefly News reported on the EFF’s election advert, which criticises the African National Congress (ANC) over corruption and unmet promises on services, jobs and local government. The campaign clip, posted by Julius Malema, ends with the slogan, “Victory or death, vote EFF.”
The advert prompted sharply divided reactions online, with supporters backing its message and critics questioning its claims and forceful closing line. One commenter asked whether “Victory or death” was appropriate for an election campaign.
Source: Briefly News
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