by Quinton Mtyala
Floyd Shivambu’s defection from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), a party he co-founded with Julius Malema, to the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) led by Jacob Zuma is a political move rich in irony.
His departure is especially surprising given the history of hostility with which Shivambu and Malema treated Zuma during his presidency. It was this very animosity that led to Malema’s expulsion from the ANC after numerous clashes with the party’s leadership while he was president of the ANC Youth League.
The tension between Malema, Shivambu, and the ANC leadership reached boiling point in 2010 during the ANC’s National General Council in Durban.
It was there that Malema and Shivambu famously “stormed the stage”, demanding that the ANC adopt radical policies such as nationalisation and expropriation without compensation.
This defiance signalled the beginning of the end for Malema within the ANC, eventually leading to the birth of the EFF – a party founded on principles diametrically opposed to those represented by Zuma.
But 14 years is a lifetime in politics and the forces which once coalesced together have since split, not so much motivated by ideological differences but competition for scarce resources.
Reports suggest that the jockeying for positions within the EFF following the May 29 general elections, may have played a role in driving a wedge within the leadership of the Red Berets.
The ANC’s strategy of inviting opposition parties to be part of a “Government of National Unity” (GNU) inadvertently divided its opponents.
Shivambu’s defection to the MKP is no coincidence. The MKP now has the potential to emerge as a significant player in South African politics. With Shivambu on board, the MKP will likely aim to build its capacity to govern municipalities after the 2026 local government elections, and possibly even take control of KwaZulu-Natal.
Should more EFF leaders follow Shivambu’s lead, it would undoubtedly weaken the party ahead of the local government elections in less than 18 months.
This would leave the EFF, once a formidable force on the political landscape, struggling to maintain its influence as it faces the challenges of internal division and external competition.
* Quinton Mtyala, is the Western Cape Regional News Editor.
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