EFF fires intern over congratulatory message to white paralymic cyclist
Politics · September 5, 2024
Written by Bongi "Banana" Banda

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), a party known for its unwavering commitment to not liking anything related to white people, made headlines yesterday when an intern was dramatically ejected from the party for what can only be described as a cardinal sin: sending out a tweet. But not just any tweet — a congratulatory message to white Paralympic cyclist Pieter du Preez.
"We trusted him with the password to our X account, and this is how he repays us," lamented EFF spokesperson Vuyani Pambo, wiping away a single tear of betrayal. "One moment you're building a revolutionary movement, and the next, your social media intern is out there praising colonial athletes."
The controversial tweet, which has since been deleted, read, "Congratulations Pieter du Preez, Hand-Cyclist, on winning the bronze medal of the paralympics in the men's H1. #TeamSA" It was posted on the EFF's official X account, an act that immediately sent shockwaves through the party's loyal base. Within minutes, the message had been retweeted, liked, and furiously screenshot by confused supporters who couldn’t understand why the party would praise an athlete not known for expropriating land without compensation or wearing red overalls.
"We are deeply ashamed. This is not what we stand for," said EFF Commander-in-Chief Julius Malema, addressing a crowd of red-bereted followers who had gathered outside the EFF headquarters in protest. "We cannot, under any circumstances, congratulate a white man for winning a medal, even if he is a Paralympian. This is just the type of infiltration we’ve been warning you about: white excellence slipping through the cracks."
The intern, whose identity has been concealed for their own safety (and because they probably don't want to be asked for Malema’s Netflix password anymore), has since been fired and escorted out of the building by party officials. Some reports suggest that the intern tried to explain that the tweet was meant to acknowledge “all South Africans,” but such radical inclusivity was quickly dismissed as "not the brand."
In the aftermath of the scandal, the EFF has vowed to tighten its social media policies. New guidelines reportedly include a strict no-congratulations rule, especially if it involves athletes, Paralympians, or anyone else not immediately recognizable as revolutionary material.
"We're reviewing all past tweets to make sure no compliments to any white person, living or deceased, slipped through," added Ndlozi. "We’re also considering hiring someone to write angry responses to any mentions of Pieter du Preez going forward, just in case."
Du Preez, blissfully unaware of the chaos his bronze medal triggered, responded to the incident in typical cyclist fashion: by cycling away.