In charge: Following the defection of the Economic Freedom Fighters’ deputy president, Floyd Shivambu, EFF leader Julius Malema (right) ‘tested’ Mbuyiseni Ndlozi’s (left) loyalty. Photo: Thuli Dlamini/Gallo Images
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi’s supporters, in defiance of party leader Julius Malema’s apparent attempts to remove him, have lobbied Ndlozi to stay and fight for the organisation’s recently vacated deputy president position.
After former EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu’s defection last week to Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party after allegations of a fallout with Malema, speculation was rife that Ndlozi was also on his way out.
Not so, said a senior official in the party: “As of now, no resignation letter has been received by his ward leader and the secretary general’s office, so we can safely say he is staying.”
EFF spokesperson Leigh-Ann Mathys also dismissed claims that Ndlozi was leaving, saying “sources” who made up the claims were spreading fake news.
Those close to the matter say that despite being “embarrassed” by an irate Malema’s speech to party members on Monday, where he, without naming Ndlozi, said he should follow Shivambu’s footsteps if he wanted to go, Ndlozi is determined to stay in and fight for the number two or three position.
“The commander-in-chief’s (CIC) speech on Monday was a test to see if Ndlozi would also leave. Remember that commissar Ndlozi was brought to EFF by Floyd and when the DP [deputy president] left, CIC wanted to know where Dr Ndlozi stands because he is very popular within the structures,” the senior source said.
But another person who declined to be named was not convinced that Malema’s speech was a “test”. They said that should Malema’s slate not include Ndlozi, “the EFF will experience the greatest conference revolt”. The party’s third elective conference is set for December and Malema is expected to release his slate by October.
“If it is loyalty Ndlozi wants, we will give it to him, even if he is abused by the CIC. Ours is the future, and so far he is the future of our organisation, even if that means we defy the organisation’s order,” they added.
Ndlozi renewed his membership last month after an intense campaign season in Gauteng and is said to be supported by two slates in the party: the “socialites” and the “ground forces”.
Both factions are preparing to launch their branches before a September deadline. The party’s branch and regional people’s assemblies will allow members to nominate their preferred candidates for both branch and national positions.
The conference, where Malema is expected to be re-elected as leader for the third time since the party’s inception in 2013, is anticipated to feature intense competition for the vacant deputy president position and that of secretary general, currently held by Malema’s close ally, Marshall Dlamini.
It will choose new leaders for a five-year term, including the top six officials and members of the 40-member central command team, the party’s highest decision-making body.
Some EFF leaders who were part of a war council meeting on Tuesday, which Ndlozi attended, said they had voiced concerns that Malema’s rough handling of party leaders was undermining its internal democracy. They added that what Malema had said in his Monday speech was one of the reasons for Shivambu’s departure.
“We discussed this at length, that the commander-in-chief’s actions threaten to turn the EFF into a one-man show, where differing views are not tolerated and internal democracy is eroded,” said a senior EFF member who also wished to remain anonymous.
Another leader said Malema’s behaviour could stagnate the party and drive away capable leaders who could help propel the EFF forward, particularly after its lacklustre performance in the 29 May elections where it lost the position of South Africa’s third-largest party to the MK party.
They added that a different strategy was needed to ensure that EFF branches did not make emotional decisions when electing their leaders.
“The organisation is currently fragile, and throwing veiled attacks at leaders does more to harm the already fragile party than to unite it. It only reveals a leadership style more concerned with personal power than collective progress. We can’t lead with emotions now, there is a lot at stake,” they said.
Another leader said Malema’s approach was fostering a culture of fear rather than of healthy debate in the party.
“This is a foretelling that we will be voting cows in that conference. The CIC’s constant demands for unquestioning loyalty create a toxic environment where members are afraid to speak their minds or challenge the leadership,” they said.
“The calibre of the leadership that will come from that conference will be like robots controlled by a remote because they won’t be able to speak their mind, let alone question him.”
The leaders who spoke to the Mail & Guardian said they would address the matter at the party’s central command meeting, where they would stress that Malema’s public outbursts were hurting the EFF.
“We had advised the CIC that he must not address the masses in this way because the departure of the DP [deputy president] has hurt him and he has not healed. Now there is discord in the party and we are running around trying to silence it. If people leave, it is because he gave them ammunition to leave,” one said.
Despite some criticising Malema’s public response to Shivambu’s departure, his supporters praised him for taking a strong stand to preserve “decorum” in the party.
“In times of uncertainty, a leader must be decisive. Malema’s actions are necessary to prevent opportunists from exploiting the EFF’s platform for personal gain. His approach ensures that the party remains focused on its mission, without being derailed by defectors,” said a key Malema ally in Gauteng.
Another EFF leader echoed this sentiment, emphasising the importance of loyalty.
“Malema is right to call out those who are silent when the party is under attack. Loyalty to the EFF is non-negotiable, and those who are not fully committed should step aside. We need leaders who are unafraid to defend the movement at all costs,” they said.
A regional leader weighed in: “A leader’s principles are often reflected in their closest relationships. Malema’s attention to this detail is not about paranoia, but about ensuring that the EFF’s leaders are genuinely aligned with the party’s revolutionary goals. The EFF cannot afford to be led by those who waver in their commitment. Malema’s leadership ensures that only those who are fully committed to the struggle remain at the helm. This is what will keep the EFF strong.”
Collen Sedibe, the EFF’s leader in Mpumalanga, has called on party members to exercise maximum discipline when electing their branch command teams and delegates to attend December’s conference, which is to be held in Nasrec, Johannesburg.
The EFF’s Gauteng leader, Nkululeko Dunga, said the province was focused on rebuilding the structures that had been affected by Shivambu’s departure.
Ndlozi had not responded to questions from the M&G by the time of publication.