EFF Marks 10th Birthday at Marikana, Where Party Was Born, Julius Malema Pays Tribute to Slain Miners

• The Economic Freedom Fighters turned 10 years old on Wednesday, 26 July
• SA's third biggest opposition party held its birthday celebration at the site of the devastating Marikana massacre
• EFF leader Julius Malema paid tribute to the slain miners whose deaths led to the establishment of the political party

MARIKANA - The Economic Freedom Fighters took its 10th birthday celebration back to where its journey of radical transformation began.

Supporters gathered in droves to celebrate the formation of the political party at the Marikana Koppie on Wednesday, 26 July.

EFF hosts 10th birthday celebration at Marikana massacre site

The celebration site was not only the birthplace of SA's third biggest political party in 2013 but also the location of the devastating massacre that claimed where 34 miners were killed the year before.

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EFF leader Julius Malema regaled supporters with how his organisation came to be. Malema said he, EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu and others paid a visit to massacre survivors and the loved ones of the slain a year after the tragedy.

The victims and survivors allegedly begged that party to form an alternative to the African National Congress (ANC). And thus, the EFF was born, IOL reported.

Julius Malema and EFF pay tribute to slain Marikana miners

Malema paid homage to the lives lost at Marikana, claiming the miners' sacrifice lit the spark that is the EFF. As part of the celebration, the party killed 15 cows and made traditional beer to pay tribute to the slain miners, News24 reported.

The EFF leader said:

"We are in Marikana to thank the originators of the EFF’s life for all the blessings."

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The party posted a video of Malema, Shivhambu and other leaders drinking umqombothi (traditional beer) in honour of the miners

The opposition party will wrap up its 10th-anniversary celebration tour with a huge final blowout at Johannesburg's FNB Stadium on Friday, 28 July.

SA divided by EFF traditional ceremony at Marikana

Below are some comments:

@t11246818 celebrated:

"When you respect your culture and traditions, you respect yourself thank you, EFF."

@lizo207898 praised:

"You can travel all over the world you won't find such an amazing organisation like EFF."

@MoCarterSA added:

"So much drama at a crime scene."

@potegomoses said:

"Some will say it's a gimmick, but I say is paying respect."

EFF’s Julius Malema threatens to publicly shame leaders who fail to sell Gala tickets and organise buses

Earlier, Briefly News reported that Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema wants the party's leaders to pull their weight ahead of the 10th-anniversary celebration.

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Malema has threatened to bar leaders from attending the birthday bash at the FNB Stadium this month if they do not fulfil their end of the bargain.

According to News24, the Red Berets leader stated during a press conference at the Uncle Tom community hall in Orlando, Soweto, that leaders who failed to complete necessary tasks before the birthday bash would be publicly shamed and barred from attending the festivities.

Source: Briefly News