The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have pledged long-term support for the families of the ten party members who tragically lost their lives in a devastating bus accident in KwaZulu-Natal. EFF leader Julius Malema made this announcement during a mass funeral service held in Vryheid on Saturday, 22 June 2025.
The victims were travelling back from the EFF’s Youth Day rally in Durban when their bus collided with a truck on the R34 near Ulundi. The horrific accident claimed ten lives and left many others injured, casting a shadow over what was meant to be a celebratory event for the party.
Addressing mourners at the funeral, Malema assured the grieving families that they would not face the future alone. He promised that the EFF would provide tangible support to ensure their dignity and wellbeing.
“Your children are not forgotten,” Malema said. “The EFF will walk with you. We will support you, and we will continue to fight in their names. These comrades paid the ultimate price for believing in a better future for our country.”
In a heartfelt gesture of solidarity, Malema announced that the EFF will build proper, fully equipped houses for the families of each of the ten deceased members. Beyond simply constructing the homes, he added that the party would install boreholes where necessary to ensure that the households have access to clean water.
“We are going to honour all of these 10 fallen heroes, each one of them with their own house—a proper house that has got all the facilities,” he stated. “And if there is no water in those yards, we’ll make sure we put in boreholes so that we restore the dignity of those families.”
The announcement was met with applause and emotional gratitude from those in attendance, many of whom had travelled long distances to pay their respects to the deceased. Family members expressed appreciation for the commitment, noting that the gesture offered them some comfort in the face of their tragic loss.
The tragic bus crash has reignited conversations around road safety, especially concerning the transportation of large groups for political and social events. While investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing, the focus at the funeral remained on honouring the lives of the victims and offering support to their bereaved loved ones.
The EFF has often spoken about uplifting marginalized communities and restoring dignity to impoverished South Africans, and this pledge reflects the party’s efforts to put its promises into action. Malema emphasized that these fallen members would be remembered as heroes who sacrificed for a greater cause.
As the families prepare to rebuild their lives without their loved ones, they do so with the knowledge that their comrades and the wider EFF community stand firmly by their side.