Growing EFF faction wants Shivambu to take over from Malema

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema is losing favour in the party he founded a decade ago, as a growing number of members exasperated by his “unilateral” rule lobby to elevate Malema’s long-time deputy, Floyd Shivambu, to the position of commander-in-chief (CIC). 

The scuffle among the once tight leadership comes as South Africa’s third-biggest political party — albeit with little governance experience — prepares for the national elections in 2024, and its own elective conference. 

Senior leaders in the party said Shivambu is being lobbied to challenge Malema when the party elects new leaders in December next year.

The seniors have expressed unhappiness with Malema’s 10-year reign, saying his “unilateral and dictatorial” leadership style disenfranchises the EFF in the eyes of the public, and hampers morale in the party. 

The call for Shivambu to take charge comes as leaders cry foul over what they deem impulsive decisions made by Malema, which they argue are against the policies of the party.

The discontent has been exacerbated by new party members being promoted to parliament upon joining the party. In June, the EFF leader fired four MPs to make way for Kwaito star Eugene Mthethwa, former African Transformation Movement member Mzwanele Manyi, who joined the Red Berets in May, Nqobile Mhlongo, and former student leader Mandla Shikwambana as new caucus members. 

The senior leaders’ main concerns with Malema is that he has been unable to follow the party’s policies, and “flip-flops at will, which has deteriorated the trust in the direction of the party”.

“Think about it, if we are confused about the EFF’s position on a certain issue, which changes at any time, how is the public going to trust that we will not turn our backs on them tomorrow, after promising we will today,” they said. 

“It is time for a leader who can stand for one thing and see it through and we believe commissar Floyd is that man.” 

The senior leaders added that Malema was governing the party from a power-hungry perspective, which often led to his mishandling of lesser leaders who had solid support. 

“We will not pretend that we have not been asking questions about what really happened to [Mbuyiseni] Ndlozi. People asked questions about why he had been silenced, but because of the fear to address these issues, no one can ask,” they said. 

Malema and Shivambu have a long history, having worked together in the ANC Youth League, with Malema as president of that organisation and Shivambu as its spokesperson before both were expelled. 

The tension between the EFF leaders and its central command team (CCT) — the party’s highest decision-making structure between conferences — were visible in the build-up to its 10th birthday celebration last month. 

Party leaders were at loggerheads over Malema’s warning to exclude members from the celebrations. 

In January, during a media briefing, Malema told provincial representatives that they had six months to organise buses to transport members to FNB Stadium in Johannesburg for the celebrations.

He added that should the provincial representatives not be able to secure buses, they would be publicly shamed.

A leader in the top six of the party said Malema was advised not to publicly shame the representatives, because it would demoralise leaders and members. 

“We warned the CIC that it would be dangerous to publicly shame the same representatives we need to help us work the ground to get people to vote for us,” the leader said.

Former EFF KwaZulu-Natal chairperson Vusi Khoza and MP Phiwaba Madokwe were among those who were barred from attending the celebrations because of their failure to secure transport.

Last week, the EFF published a list of 439 members the party had banned from its celebrations for failing to organise buses for EFF members to transport them to FNB stadium for the celebrations.

The list of excluded party members included four MPs and seven members of provincial legislatures in the Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, North West and Mpumalanga.

The brewing discontent in the party gained momentum during its provincial elective conferences last year where Malema was accused of imposing his preferred leaders on members, thereby circumventing the party’s democratic practices.

“This led to many calling for commissar Floyd to stand in the upcoming election and contest the CIC, because they argued the CIC was intimidating them at will, [and] they believed it is time for a new leader,” they said.

The insider added that tensions in the central command team had increased. Malema allegedly threatened to remove CCT members who were agitating against his re-election. 

The threats include being removed from their positions if they continue to vote against the slate — decided on by Malema — that will be presented to provincial leaders during the conference.

It is common practice during the party’s elective conferences for a slate to be sent to provinces to vote for a certain leader in a certain position.

One leader said there is a common belief that members are loyal to the party because of the positions that they received. 

“If someone who has power over you threatens to take the bread out of your mouth, what do you think will happen? You will toe the line,” the leader said. 

“Many of them, although they are not happy with the way things are, are going to keep [Malema] in power.”

After months of secretly campaigning against Malema, “the DP [Shivambu] has managed to canvass support from four provinces, with Gauteng split in half over the support,” the senior member said.

They added that on discovering the number of provinces that were behind Shivambu, Malema was rattled. 

“I had never seen the CIC look so terrified; it’s as if he believed in that moment, that the DP can actually win this thing, and he fears that.”

Malema allegedly confronted Shivambu. Insiders say Shivambu told Malema that he had been approached by ANC leaders to leave the party. 

The leader added that Malema knew that Shivambu was not being honest, but let him be at the time, “but to our surprise he showed him that he knew the truth at the recent gala dinner, and the DP could not hide the shame and embarrassment”.

Malema’s statements at the party’s gala dinner were interpreted as a veiled threat to his detractors. During his speech, Malema cautioned EFF leaders against conspiring behind his back, warning that he had never lost an internal contest and could be “ruthless”.

“The problem starts when you start organising against me and I hear it in the corners. I am very ruthless. All of us, we are here to serve. We don’t have to be the best of friends, we don’t have to be the relatives, don’t force yourself to do the EFF work. It must come from your belly,” he said. 

Malema has previously made known that he intends to run for another term. 

During a media briefing on Wednesday, Malema denied there was a rift between him and Shivambu. 

He said there was nothing to suggest that they had fundamental differences. He said that his statements at the EFF gala dinner were made in jest. 

“There are clowns here in the EFF who think they know us, who think we are nothing without them. Who behave in a narcissist way, in a very egotistical way, you will never feel that with Floyd. You will have to slaughter cows for that fight to happen. It will never happen. That is what the enemy wishes.” 

Echoing Malema’s words, Shivambu accused ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula of being a wedge driver. 

Mbalula has previously claimed that Shivambu was the brains trust of the EFF. 

“There will never ever be any divisions that will destroy the organisation. Wedge drivers have to carry some level of sophistication to try and divide this organisation. There is no one outside the EFF who is sophisticated enough to divide the EFF,” Shivambu said.