Seven cardinal pillars of the Economic Freedom Fighters

The Seven Cardinal Pillars are the foundational principles of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), a far-left South African political party founded in 2013. These pillars form the core ideological framework and policy objectives of the party, focusing on radical economic transformation, land redistribution and nationalization of key sectors of the South African economy like mines and banks.

The Seven Cardinal Pillars were first articulated in the EFF's Founding Manifesto (2013)^[1] and remain central to the party's political agenda and included in its constitution. They serve as the party's non-negotiable core principles, framework for policy development, mobilization tool for supporters and benchmark for evaluating government actions. They basically define the party's sole reason for existence.

The EFF advocates for land expropriation without compensation, arguing that land was stolen during colonial and Apartheid eras.

The party proposes that all land should be under state custodianship and that land should be redistributed equitably. It says the South African government's 'willing-buyer-willing-seller' principle should be abolished. This position has significantly influenced South Africa's land reform debate since EFF president Julius Malema's time in the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) from 2008 to 2011, where the policy was first adopted.^[2][3][4]

The EFF calls for state ownership of the country's mines, banks and other strategic economic sectors.

The party argues this would break white economic dominance and ensure national wealth benefits all South Africans.^[3]

This pillar emphasizes strengthening state institutions, developing government service delivery capacity and creating a developmental state model.^[5][6]

Key demands include the fully subsidized education from basic to tertiary level, the implementation of National Health Insurance^[7] and free basic services (water, electricity). The EFF has been instrumental in student protests like FeesMustFall.^[8]

The party advocates for local industrialization, trade protectionism and job creation through state-led industrial policy^[1]

This pillar promotes the Pan-African economic integration, the resistance to neo-colonial economic practices and African economic self-sufficiency^[1]

The EFF demands government transparencyz strong anti-corruption measures and accountability for public officials.^[9]

In February 2024, the Institute of Race Relations (IRR), a liberal think-tank in South Africa, released an analysis arguing that the EFF's seven pillars "lack substance and feasibility". According to the IRR, policies such as uncompensated land expropriation, sweeping nationalisation, and expansive welfare programmes could threaten economic stability. It said this could lead to more strains put on state-owned enterprises like Eskom and Transnet.^[10]