EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu is allegedly on his way out, sources within the party’s upper structures told TimesLIVE Premium.
This comes months before EFF structures are set to hold its third conference to elect new leadership.
At midnight the EFF scheduled an urgent media briefing for Thursday morning. The alert raised the antennae of provincial leaders, who claimed to be unaware of the developments.
Shivambu is said to have communicated his intention to leave the party to its president Julius Malema, with meetings between the two and some within the top leadership having talked for most of Wednesday.
Attempts to convince the deputy president against leaving the party are said to have failed.
The development comes weeks after a damning affidavit by VBS Mutual Bank kingpin Tshifhiwa Matodzi implicating him and Malema in the heist.
Matodzi claimed in his testimony that the EFF was paid R5m and R1m monthly “donations” to clean up the bank’s bad reputation after giving former president Jacob Zuma a home loan for Nkandla. This was allegedly funnelled through a company owned by Brian Shivambu, brother of the EFF deputy president.
A lobby has been under way to replace Shivambu with Marshall Dlamini at the December conference.
This will be the biggest shake-up in the EFF since its formation in 2014.
An exit by Shivambu would mean this year’s conference becomes highly contested as Mbuyiseni Ndlozi is said to be lobbying for the position of secretary-general.
Shivambu was redeployed from KwaZulu-Natal after failing to ensure the party regained support ahead of the May elections. KwaZulu-Natal was seen as strategic to overall growth of the party in the polls.
Tension between Shivambu and Malema were on full display at the party’s 10th birthday celebrations in 2023.
Speaking to guests at the gala dinner at the time, Malema sent a veiled warning about people plotting against him. He said Shivambu should be honest and forthright should he feel it is his time to lead the party.
Malema said conspiring against him would be tantamount to a declaration of war, which would bring out his ruthless nature. He later denied this was a threat, saying he was close to Shivambu.
TimesLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.