Violence is man recreating himself: The Ideological influence of Frantz Fanon in the Economic Freedom Fighters of Contemporary South Africa

Julius Malema is one of the most controversial figures in comtemporary South African politics. He is regularly described as a populist promoting an incoherent political programme for personal gain. This thesis investigates Malema's use of the work of Frantz Fanon in the ideology of the Economic Freedom Figthers(EFF). It studies the writings of Fanon on colonialism and post-colonial politics as well as the revolutionary ideology brought forward by Julius Malema and the Economic Freedom Fighters(EFF)in their political manifestos as well as Malema's speeches. This ideology has appropriated the works of Fanon to bring togehter the different ideological positions within the EFF. Fanon serves to bring together socialist as well as pan-Africanist and Black Conciousness crtitiques of the ANC's government of South AFrica since 1994. While these ideologies are historically at odds with one another, the appropriation of Fanon serves to bring a degree of coherence to a revolutionary ideology...Show moreJulius Malema is one of the most controversial figures in comtemporary South African politics. He is regularly described as a populist promoting an incoherent political programme for personal gain. This thesis investigates Malema's use of the work of Frantz Fanon in the ideology of the Economic Freedom Figthers(EFF). It studies the writings of Fanon on colonialism and post-colonial politics as well as the revolutionary ideology brought forward by Julius Malema and the Economic Freedom Fighters(EFF)in their political manifestos as well as Malema's speeches. This ideology has appropriated the works of Fanon to bring togehter the different ideological positions within the EFF. Fanon serves to bring together socialist as well as pan-Africanist and Black Conciousness crtitiques of the ANC's government of South AFrica since 1994. While these ideologies are historically at odds with one another, the appropriation of Fanon serves to bring a degree of coherence to a revolutionary ideology drawing on different ideologies and grassroots critiques of the ANC. While this makes the EFF's ideology seem incoherent or shallow it does allow the EFF to appeal to different sections of South Africa's population and to unify different political movements into one political party.Show less

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Violence is man recreating himself: The Ideological influence of Frantz Fanon in the Economic Freedom Fighters of Contemporary South Africa