Johnathan Paoli
THE EFF Deputy President Floyd Shivambu has announced his intention to resign from his position and not to renew his membership in order to join the Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) party.
After much social media speculation about Shivambu’s future in EFF, the red berets held an urgent press briefing on Thursday at the Winnie Madikizela Mandela House in Johannesburg, to announce radical leadership changes within the party.
At the conference Shivambu said he intends to “be involved” with MK in order to assist in its ideological development, but did not provide details over what position he will hold within the party.
He said he will announce his role within the MK party at a later stage.
EFF Commander-In-Chief , Julius Malema, said he was saddened at Shivambu’s resignation, but wished him well in furthering his political career.
Malema compared receiving Shivambu’s resignation letter to the news about the death of his mother.
The pair have a long history, stemming from their days as leaders within the ANC Youth League (ANCYL).
Malema said although the EFF constitution does not allow members to return after leaving the party, Shivambu would always be welcome as he is not only a member, but a founder.
Malema said that there would be other fighters leaving the party, because of their loyalty to Shivambu.
However, newly-arrived EFF member Mzwanele Manyi is also leaving the EFF in order to join the MK party.
Male said this resignation is not a sign of the collapse of the party and that he remains confident in the EFF’s path going forward.
“This should not serve as a point of collapse for the EFF, this is a testing moment. The party will have to pass this test or it will have to die,” Malema said.
Despite the explanations from EFF leadership structures as well as Shivambu’s resignation letter, many have speculated around the reasons for the former deputy president leaving the party.
The party experienced a significant loss of electoral support following the national and provincial elections in May this year, losing their place as the 3rd largest political party to the MK party.
In addition, both Shivambu and Malema have been implicated in the VBS scandal, following the bank’s chair Tshifhiwa Matodzi alleging that the pair accepted illegal benefits.
Matodzi said Malema and Shivambu received monthly donations and a business loan of millions since 2017 through a front company called Sgameka Projects.
The pair benefited personally, in exchange for a turn around in their critique of the bank.
Malema previously denied claims of possible tension between him and Shivambu at the party’s gala dinner last year.
However, others have speculated that the move was in line with the growth of a Progressive opposition against the Government of National Unity (GNU).
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