CAPE TOWN - Draped in red regalia, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) members made a striking entrance at Cape Town City Hall ahead of the State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Competing with the sound of trumpets piercing the air, party members arrived singing and chanting while holding placards highlighting South Africa’s unemployment crisis.
At the centre of the crowd was EFF leader Julius Malema, whose appearance comes amid looming pre-sentencing proceedings.
Malema was convicted last October of violating the Firearms Control Act.
The court found him guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, discharging a firearm in a built-up area, and reckless endangerment.
The EFF has consistently placed unemployment at the heart of its political messaging, a concern shared by many South Africans.
The official unemployment rate currently stands at 32 percent.
Economist and policy expert Alan Hirsch attributes the crisis partly to weaknesses in the public service, particularly at senior management and implementation levels.
He said these challenges trace back to the state capture era, when individuals were appointed to positions for which they were not suited.
Hirsch noted that the Public Service Amendment Act -- currently awaiting action from the President -- is aimed at reducing political interference in the public service and ensuring recruitment and promotions are based on merit.