A 'radical reinterpretation' of South African struggle mythology: from non-racialism to black nationalism

The Economic Freedom Fighters has, since its creation in 2013, attempted to attract voters from the African National Congress (ANC) by presenting itself as the true hero of the South African struggle for freedom. This article indicates how political mythology can be used to unify a group behind a ca...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Commonwealth & comparative politics 2022-10, Vol.60 (4), p.378-400
Main Authors: Maritz, Paul, Venter, Jan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ANC
Black nationalism
Coalitions
EFF
Freedoms
Guerrilla forces
Heroism & heroes
M-Plan
Mythology
Positioning
Radicalism
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Summary:The Economic Freedom Fighters has, since its creation in 2013, attempted to attract voters from the African National Congress (ANC) by presenting itself as the true hero of the South African struggle for freedom. This article indicates how political mythology can be used to unify a group behind a cause or a hero, or against an enemy. Hereafter a case is made for the use of political mythology by the ANC since 1952. Finally, the EFF's positioning towards the ANC and its reinterpretation of struggle mythology is proposed. This article wishes to contribute to the conversation on South Africa's political future, by analysing the relationship of the EFF and ANC at the deepest level, that of their shared and contested political mythology. The contemporary importance is that these two parties that might well be involved in coalitions at the highest level of South African politics in the near future.
ISSN:1466-2043
1743-9094
DOI:10.1080/14662043.2022.2138030