Founding member and deputy president of the EFF, Floyd Shivambu, has resigned from the party, throwing it with yet another blow. He has announced his intention to join former President Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party, but his role has not been revealed.
EFF leader Julius Malema compared Floyd’s resignation to the death of his mother and also stated that the EFF’s door would always be open for him.
“To me he’s not just a comrade but a brother and he will remain a brother, even when he pursues his political career differently. We formed this organisation together. When he sent me a letter yesterday I felt the same pain when I received the news of the passing of my mother.”
Malema’s tone was sombre, but he stated emphatically that Shivambu will never be a party rivalry.
The party held a press meeting at its offices in Marshalltown on Thursday. During the briefing, Shivambu explained that the decision not to renew his membership was not a vote of no confidence in the party.
“I request that I be released from all positions that I hold from the EFF. I will always cherish them and I wish them full prosperity and success and members of the EFF student command will accept the decision I have taken,” he said.
EFF MP Jimmy Manyi has also decided to join the MK party, and Malema believes that many others will follow suit.
Only a few months have passed since the EFF lost its position as the nation’s third-largest party. Due to the DA’s decision to join the government of national unity, the MK party passed the EFF and now holds the position of official opposition in the National Assembly.
The party is scheduled to choose new leaders in December and Malema declared he will run for office again.
It was predicted that Marshall Dlamini and Mbuyiseni Ndlozi would compete for the position of secretary-general, while Shivambu would run for deputy president once more.
Shivambu was the first and only deputy president of the EFF since its founding in 2013. He is also the creator of the well-liked EFF Student Command.
He is anticipated to step down from his role as top whip for the EFF in parliament.
The EFF was allegedly “promised” cash from VBS Mutual Bank according to an affidavit made public by Tshifhiwa Matodzi, the former chairman of the bank.
The affidavit included Shivambu and Malema, and it is said that they received payment to refrain from using the EFF’s political clout to defeat VBS.
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