With the election eight weeks away, the EFF appears to have made something of a pincer movement on the ANC. They have prodded the ANC on policy, and made it more inviting for disaffected ANC members to join their ranks. In the meantime, the ANC seem to have caved in to two of the EFF's main policy demands - that the Constitution be changed to effect land expropriation with compensation, and that the South African Reserve Bank be nationalised.

The ANC appears to be slinking towards appeasement of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). This appeasement could backfire on the ANC, with disastrous consequences for South Africa. Of course, this apparent appeasement may simply be a convergence between the two parties, or compromise by the ANC.

It is the likelihood of appeasement that is emerging from the ANC that is cause for concern. What this means, in effect, is that the ANC would capitulate to a dangerous political ally, one that holds potentially violent implications for South African society, in the hope that the EFF would cease to be violent, that they would become more tolerant, less vituperative and vengeful, and more respectful of women and "non-African" minorities. The evidence suggests...