This comes after critics questioned why the RET forces did not join Julius Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters which is also advocating for economic freedom. Nkosentsha Shezi said it is not easy to do so, after the red beret leader, Malema made it clear that he had no space for ANC RET forces in his party. “I owe you no explanation but let me do. Cde CIC Julius announced that he has no space for RET forces in his party. I think this answer is at your grade,” said Nkosentsha Shezi in response to why they are establishing a new movement instead of joining EFF.
Shezi is one of the ANC comrades who has publicly announced that he will help Carl Niehaus to establish this new movement which champions radical economic transformation. He said in their view, the new movement is necessary and that it will allow a broad participation of people across political parties and religious divides. Shezi is also encouraging those disgruntled by the failure of ANC to expropriate land without compensation, and also implement party policies to join them.
The Economic Freedom Fighters however have the same ideologies under their seven cardinal pillars. It would have been easy for RET forces to fit in with the red berets. Maybe Julius Malema does not want his organisation to be labelled and associated with all the bad publicity that has been following RET forces. For now, Carl Niehaus’s new movement will focus on creating structures and later on, they intent to contest against the governing party. Critics however feel this is very ambitious considering that the movement has not yet took off.