Neither Malema or Zuma, who wield significant influence within their respective parties, has taken any steps to mend the rift. (File photos)
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is re-evaluating its position in the Progressive Caucus — an alliance of opposition parties formed to challenge the government of national unity — amid stresses over the recent wave of defections to the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party.
The caucus, which brings together smaller opposition parties, including Jacob Zuma’s MK party and the African Transformation Movement, appears to be approaching collapse after a poaching cycle that has seen senior EFF leaders jump ship to the nearly year-old organisation, taking their cue from former deputy leader Floyd Shivambu, who abandoned the Red Berets in August.
This added insult to injury after the MK party dislodged the EFF as South Africa’s third-largest party in the 29 May general elections.
The EFF received another body blow on Thursday when prominent lawyer, and former chairperson, Dali Mpofu joined the exodus to MK.
EFF leader Julius Malema put on a brave face when speaking of the defections, saying he was unmoved by Mpofu’s departure and even expected more to leave.
But sources within the EFF’s central command team — its highest decision-making body — disclosed that internal tension, and fear that the MK had infiltrated its ranks to “destabilise the party” ahead of its third elective conference next month, have led the party to reconsider its commitment to the progressive alliance.
“It has become apparent that this caucus, which was negotiated by Shivambu by the way, is planning to destabilise us.
“Look at us — instead of focusing on the party’s leadership we are focused on who has infiltrated our ranks. This is why we need to cut the cord that connects us to Shivambu to be able to move forward,” one senior leader said.
The Progressive Caucus was initially hailed as a tactical coalition to strengthen opposition against the unity government led by the ANC and the Democratic Alliance (DA).
Under the leadership of Malema and Zuma, the alliance was positioned as a “formidable front” to challenge the coalition government’s policies.
But strain within the caucus began to show when Shivambu defected to the MK party and immediately assumed the position of its national organiser.
Shivambu’s departure marked a turning point, as divisions between MK and the EFF became public, one of the Red Beret officials who spoke to the Mail & Guardian said.
“We all know Shivambu was a very prominent figure in the EFF and his decision to join MK has sparked resentment among many in our ranks and widened holes we didn’t even know existed,” they said.
“His presence in the MK party has complicated what should have been a straightforward alliance.
“It is difficult to trust the MK now that we know they plan to destroy us,” they said.
While some have speculated that the mass resignation of EFF members is part of the MK party’s strategy to unite all the small parties under one umbrella and garner enough power to unseat the government of national unity, senior EFF members said they felt it targeted them.
“We are currently fractured, and the MK is fully aware of that, which is why there is a need to step back and get our ducks in a row to regain confidence to mobilise support for the [2026] local government elections where we know the MK party will be fighting for the same constituency as us,” one central command team member said.
Last month, former public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane also left the EFF to join the MK party, saying it felt like “home”.
Its leaders refuted claims that they had actively lured her away but central command team members spoke of a targeted recruitment drive aimed at destroying the EFF.
“What MKP is doing smacks of hypocrisy,” one EFF official said.
“They preach solidarity by day and poach by night. It’s an unspeakable betrayal cloaked in a falsehood of brotherhood.”
Soon after Mkhwebane left, former EFF MP Fana Mokoena also resigned from the EFF, publicly endorsing the MK’s plan of consolidating small parties into one grouping.
“The MK party’s idea of uniting the opposition under one umbrella, whatever we call it, instead of fighting in silos, sometimes even fighting one another, is a superior idea, and most relevant for the politics of SA today.
“In the same way the EFF’s uniting Africa is a superior idea,” Mokoena posted on X.
The MK party has already persuaded former Johannesburg speaker Colleen Makhubele’s South African Rainbow Alliance and the Xiluva party of former DA member Bongani Baloyi to join its ranks.
Former MP Anthony Matumba said the EFF was not looking to continue in the alliance because the parties were not aligned.
“People like Mokoena are the reason EFF members must know that the MK party is not a friend or a strategic partner of the EFF.
“Fana claims to be a member of EFF but he is busy with the praise-worshipping MK party,” Matumba said, accusing the MK of trying to destroy the EFF from within.
“The MK party is not uniting opposition against the ANC and its DA. They are uniting against the EFF. They can’t unite against the ANC they were formed to rescue.”
Neither Zuma nor Malema, who wield significant influence within their respective parties, has taken any steps to mend the rift.
“As leaders, they possess absolute authority, which they could use to extinguish this fire with a single public statement, if they were truly committed to our shared mission,” one EFF source said.
“But their silence has done nothing but stoke resentment and fuel further division, which means one thing only — it is done.”
Former EFF spokesperson Sinawo Thambo last month confirmed that the parties had reached an understanding that their relationship within the caucus would now be programme-based and issue-specific in parliament.