JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng — As the November 2026 Local Government Elections approach, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) are significantly ramping up their grassroots mobilization efforts. During the party’s fifth Central Elections Task Force meeting held in Johannesburg, leadership unveiled a comprehensive strategy to transition into the second phase of their 2026 Local Government Elections campaign, focusing heavily on intensive door-to-door voter engagement.
Godrich Gardee, EFF Deputy President and the party’s mayoral candidate for Mbombela, outlined the strategic shift to the media outside the task force meeting. According to Gardee, the party is moving past the initial broad strategies of phase one and entering a highly localized “person-to-person listening campaign.”
“We’re coming from phase one of the campaign and now we’re going to phase two,” Gardee explained, emphasizing the shift toward direct voter mobilization. He noted that this new phase prioritizes logistical preparation and putting “boots on the ground” to connect directly with communities ahead of the big day.
The party’s electoral ambitions are expansive, aiming to position candidates in every municipality and ward across the nation. Gardee confirmed that the EFF will be contesting 213 mayoral positions and targeting all 4,398 wards. Emphasizing a “wall-to-wall” approach, the leadership stressed that no street or ward will be left uncontested.
Notably, the EFF intends to challenge traditional political strongholds. Gardee explicitly stated that the party will not overlook areas historically dominated by other political factions. He highlighted that an EFF candidate will be fielded in affluent and traditionally exclusive neighborhoods, specifically naming areas like Constantia and Stellenbosch, signaling the party’s commitment to establishing a truly national footprint.