The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), a South African Marxist-Leninist and pan-Africanist political party, has strongly rebuffed comments by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, who called for its leader, Julius Malema, to be declared an international criminal.
On Sunday, Musk, the American businessman and CEO of Tesla, took to social media to demand immediate sanctions against Malema over a controversial 2018 speech targeting white people.
Musk, in a post on X, labelled Malema an “international criminal” and urged global action against him.
Musk’s remarks referred to a viral video from 2018 in which Malema declared that his party, the EFF, was working to remove Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor Athol Trollip solely because of his race.
Speaking at the Standard Bank Arena in Johannesburg during the launch of the EFF’s election registration campaign, Malema stated: “We have taken a decision that we are going to remove the mayor of PE [Port Elizabeth].”
He justified the decision, saying: “Why? Why not [mayor of DA-led Johannesburg Herman] Mashaba, why not Solly [Msimanga – mayor of DA-led Tshwane]? Because the mayor of DA in PE is a white man. So, these people, when you want to hit them hard – go after a white man. They feel a terrible pain because you have touched a white man.”
Malema further declared: “But we are starting with this whiteness. We are cutting the throat of whiteness. Trollip will not be a mayor after the 6th of April if they give us that date.”
Responding to Musk’s call for sanctions, the EFF dismissed his remarks as an extension of a broader imperialist agenda, accusing him of interfering in South Africa’s domestic politics.
The party claimed that Musk, who reportedly holds a special government role under U.S. President Donald Trump, is using his influence to attack political leaders who oppose Western imperialism.
In a strongly worded statement, the EFF accused Musk of behaving like a “global billionaire maniac” attempting to manipulate governments for his business interests. The party alleged that his interference was part of a larger scheme to undermine South Africa’s sovereignty and weaken its relations with the United States.
As a countermeasure, the EFF vowed to prevent Musk’s satellite internet service, Starlink, from operating in South Africa unless it complies with local regulations, including a mandatory 30% local ownership requirement. The party also called for progressive nations such as Russia, China, and India to reject Musk’s enterprises.
The party’s statement read in part: “The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is not fazed by the declaration made by the owner of X (formerly Twitter), SpaceX, Starlink, Tesla, and recently the so-called director of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the United States of America, who has declared that EFF President Julius Malema must be labelled an international criminal.
“Musk has assumed the role of a global billionaire maniac, whose grotesque wealth has overwhelmed him and made him think of himself as the supreme ruler of not only the Oval Office but of all nations of the world.
“It is therefore not surprising that Julius Malema would be declared an enemy by the global capitalist establishment, an agenda advanced by deranged individuals such as Elon Musk.
“The EFF takes this opportunity to tell Elon Musk and all his allies—in the USA, in Israel, and the right-wing groups in South Africa that have mobilized Musk—to collectively go to hell.”
The party went further to declare Musk an “enemy of South Africa” and accused him of capturing the U.S. government to push his business interests.
The party said, “The EFF declares Elon Musk as an enemy of South Africa and a capturer of governance in the USA who will lead to that nation’s downfall.
“All progressive nations, including Russia, China, India, and all African states, ought to isolate and reject all enterprises pursued by Elon Musk in their nations.”
Concluding its statement, the EFF reiterated its commitment to resisting imperialism, saying, “The EFF will not be cowed into submission, retreat, nor capitulation from its principled and unwavering commitment to confront imperialism and its surrogates like Elon Musk anywhere and everywhere it rears its ugly head.”
