Political Debate Flares Up Over Shivambu's New Role

The appointment of Floyd Shivambu as the secretary general of the MK party has sparked widespread discussion, with many questioning if this was a promised position when he left the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). Former EFF deputy president Shivambu has been appointed to this role by former ANC and South African president Jacob Zuma, effective immediately.

In a press release issued on Sunday, the MK party announced that Zuma, in consultation with the party’s national officials, had appointed Shivambu to the position. This appointment follows the resignation of Dr. Sifiso Maseko on Wednesday, who will continue to serve on the MK’s national high command.

Shivambu joined the MK party as its national organiser just three months after resigning from the EFF. EFF president Julius Malema, who has likened himself and Shivambu to “brothers,” was visibly shaken during a press briefing in August when Shivambu announced his resignation. Both men had their political beginnings in the ANC youth league before being expelled in 2012/2013.

Malema has since stated on several occasions that he expects more leaders and members to leave the EFF. Shivambu’s resignation came after a significant decline in the May 29 elections for the EFF, with many supporters shifting their votes to the MK party. This shift allowed the MK party to surpass the EFF as the third-largest political party in the country.

Both the EFF and MK party are part of the “progressive caucus,” which positions itself as an alternative to the government of national unity formed after the ANC lost its majority in a surprising election outcome. However, tension has arisen within the progressive caucus as senior EFF leaders defect to the MK party, leading to mass resignations among rank-and-file members in favor of MK.

This situation has fueled paranoia within the EFF ranks, with concerns that the MK party has “infiltrated” the EFF to destabilize it. The EFF, now 11 years old, and the nearly 12-month-old MK party are both experiencing significant internal volatility. The latest senior EFF leader to defect to the MK party is advocate Dali Mpofu, who announced his resignation this week. Mpofu, a former EFF chairperson, had also served as Zuma’s legal representative in civil and criminal cases.

The MK party, on its part, has seen the firing and shuffling of several senior members, allegedly at the direction of the 82-year-old Zuma. In the statement released on Sunday, the MK party expressed “full confidence” in Shivambu and the party’s leadership.