(Photo by Xabiso Mkhabela/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Tensions are boiling in the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in KwaZulu-Natal as the party grapples with internal dissent, allegations of sabotage and growing fears of infiltration by the rival uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party.
This comes after Nkululeko Ngubane and Waken Chuma were replaced by Vukani Ndlovu and Ncedo Njenga, respectively, after the party’s Central Command Team (CCT) meeting of the 3rd National People’s Assembly, held in Bela-Bela, Limpopo, last week.
At the meeting, it was argued that the decision was aimed at strengthening the party in the province following its dismal performance at the May 2024 elections and in the run-up to the local government elections in 2026.
The EFF’s support in the province dropped to just above 2% in last year’s general elections from nearly 10% in 2019, subsequent to the emergence of the MK party.
The leadership reshuffle, conducted in line with the EFF’s constitution, is part of what the party describes as its continued commitment to building a “revolutionary, disciplined and ideologically coherent” leadership collective, which is capable of deepening grassroots mobilisation and steering the party’s economic emancipation agenda.
The dismissals, sanctioned by the CCT, come amid claims by command team members that the two leaders defied a directive from party leader Julius Malema by engaging with MK members and manipulating branch data to give a false impression of growth in the province.
“The fact of the matter is that the party’s presence in the province has diminished since the elections. We have struggled to regain ground because of MK’s heavy influence, and we believe the leaders were trying to make it look like there was action when there wasn’t, which we see in the registration of ghost branches and faulty membership registrations,” one senior insider said.
Another insider said the expelled members had been seen to be colluding with MK members in an effort to form partnerships to regain ground in the province.
“The leadership viewed it as sabotage,” said a senior member close to the CCT. “There was a clear directive from the CIC [Malema] not to associate with MK in any way. These comrades went against that.”
The MK party, led by former president Jacob Zuma, has emerged as a growing force in KwaZulu-Natal and other provinces, eating into the EFF’s electoral base.
In last year’s elections, MK leapfrogged the EFF to become the third-largest party in parliament. The bulk of that support came from Zuma loyalists in KwaZulu-Natal.
Malema has previously described MK as a “tribalist formation” and accused its leadership of exploiting ethnic divisions. He has also openly criticised Zuma, labelling the formation of the MK party as a “desperate reaction” to his loss of political relevance.
Speaking earlier this year, Malema warned EFF members not to be tempted by MK’s messaging. “They want to divide the black nation. Their agenda is not revolutionary,” he said.
KwaZulu-Natal has long posed a structural challenge for the EFF. Despite its growth nationally, the party has struggled to gain significant ground in the province, where both the ANC and MK maintain strong support bases. The party’s poor performance at by-elections in recent years has been a source of concern among national leaders.
Despite this, multiple EFF sources allege that Ngubane and Chuma held informal meetings with individuals believed to be aligned with MK. While no formal disciplinary process was undertaken, the national leadership opted to remove them from their posts with immediate effect.
“There were names of branches that didn’t exist, that didn’t meet the threshold. But somehow, they appeared on official records,” said a source familiar with the internal audit conducted ahead of the CCT meeting. “It was a serious concern.”
The EFF’s constitution requires branches to meet minimum criteria for participation in national and provincial decision-making structures.
Sources within the party said Ngubane and Chuma were also criticised for a lack of leadership and poor performance, particularly in the wake of the party’s weak showing in the province. The EFF failed to win a single ward in KZN during by-elections held after the 2021 local government elections and has steadily lost ground to MK.
KwaZulu-Natal provincial communications officer Chris Msibi confirmed the appointment of Ndlovu and Njenga last week but declined to discuss the reasons behind the changes. “It was a decision of the Central Command Team aimed at strengthening the organisation in the province,” Msibi said.
Ngubane and Chuma have not commented publicly on their removal. However, individuals close to the former leaders said the decision had blindsided them.
“They feel humiliated,” a source said, adding that “they were not given a platform to defend themselves. It was just announced after the CCT meeting that they’re out. No discussion, no process.”
Insiders close to the members said: “This is a purge, not a correction. The leadership is clearing out anyone who they think is dabbling with the enemy. With the history we have with the MK, it’s understandable to remove any perceived threat ahead of the [local] elections.”
The relationship between the EFF and MK fractured last year after several high-profile EFF leaders joined the MK party, after the departure of party deputy president Floyd Shivambu, who left the EFF in August to become the MK party’s secretary general.
Former EFF MP Mzwanele Manyi now serves as the MK party’s parliamentary whip and former EFF MP Busisiwe Mkhwebane is the MK party’s convener in Mpumalanga.
The CCT has not announced whether further disciplinary action will be taken. It also remains unclear whether Ngubane and Chuma will retain any role in the party.