Why Shivambu jumped ship for Zuma’s party

EFF President Julius Malema’s style of leadership appears to have come back to haunt him after his deputy, Floyd Shivambu, quit the party that he co-founded to join Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP).

Malema himself acknowledged that some more EFF members might follow Shivambu to the MKP.

Shivambu announced his resignation during a press briefing at Winnie Madikizela-Mandela House in Johannesburg on Thursday after submitting his resignation letter to Malema, 11 years after forming the party with him.

On Monday, former EFF MP Mzwanele Manyi also left the party for the MKP.

The Cape Times’ sister publication, “The Star”, reported that Shivambu’s resignation was fuelled by infighting with Malema over the party’s upcoming elective conference in December.

An EFF insider, who is a member of the party’s national executive committee, told “The Star” that Malema’s ambition to remain the president of the party in December demoralised Shivambu, who had been eyeing the position.

The source said business people had shown interest in supporting Shivambu to dislodge Malema as president at the December conference. But the party’s number one found out and reprimanded Shivambu.

The EFF slipped from third to fourth position in the May 29 elections, which saw the MKP become the official opposition after the DA teamed up with the ANC to form a coalition.

Shivambu’s future in the EFF was also marred by the VBS Mutual Bank scandal. Shivambu is alleged to have benefited from money channelled from the bank through his brother Brian’s company bank account.

The source added that Shivambu had tried to get Malema removed so that he could lead the party, and when that failed he jumped ship. At the party’s 10th anniversary celebrations in July, Malema warned Shivambu that he had his eyes on him if he wanted to dislodge him.

Accepting Shivambu’s resignation, Malema said: “It came as a shock. Some leaders shed tears. We must accept.

“I accept the decision of the deputy president who has voluntarily resigned his position and did not renew his membership … When he gave me the letter yesterday (Wednesday), I felt the same pain I felt when I received the news of the passing of my mother,” Malema said. He said the EFF should pass this test or it would have to die.

Malema said he never heard about a contest between Shivambu and himself, and added that this was just a rumour.

The MKP said in a media statement that it welcomed the decision by these astute and experienced leaders, adding that it could not have come at a better time.

MKP spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela said Manyi and Shivambu would further strengthen the agenda of the Progressive Caucus.

“Manyi and Shivambu will be deployed respectively, according to their strengths and expertise. As leadership, we ask that all members of MKP welcome these two progressive comrades as they begin to form part of driving the agenda of the revolution.

“We wish them well as they pick up the spear and continue the fight for the emancipation of the downtrodden and marginalised people in our country,” said Ndhlela.

Political analyst Professor Sipho Seepe said people join political parties for a better-value proposition. They ask themselves whether they can be used more effectively and be given better responsibilities to use their skills, knowledge and be valued.

He said they also look at the future prospects of the party, such as the fact that the MKP is growing.

“MKP has more advantages than EFF and is likely to draw more voters than them. It is possible that more disgruntled members of the GNU, which is led by the DA, will join MKP.

“Many ANC members will vote for MKP because the ANC is no longer a liberation party, or a party that carries aspirations of black people. It carries aspirations for capitalists,” said Seepe.

Professor Andre Duvenhage, speaking on national television, said it was not yet over for the EFF but the party would decline in support.

“There are also a number of other factors that have played a role in this regard. I believe the VBS Bank investigations implicating Shivambu also played a role within the EFF.

“When it comes to corruption, we look at the MKP, and the composition of the MKP is going to war about corruption and state capture …

“So I believe that a person like Shivambu is feeling more safe within that environment than within the EFF,” Duvenhage said.