The EFF has announced the resignation of senior leader Mbuyiseni Ndlozi as an MP.
“The EFF has received the voluntary resignations of fighter Yazini Tetyana and fighter Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi as representatives of the EFF in the parliament of SA,” the party said in a statement on Thursday morning.
Ndlozi was conspicuous by his absence at the EFF elective conference in December, fuelling speculation about his future in the party.
Asked about Ndlozi’s absence, EFF leader Julius Malema said only Ndlozi should answer questions about his future.
“I’m not responsible for Mbuyiseni Ndlozi; 90% of the people who are expected to be here are here,” Malema said.
“That’s what matters. Whoever is not here, was not supposed to be here from the beginning. So you are not going to reduce this organisation to some individual. We are going to refuse that,” the EFF leader said in December.
EFF votes significantly shrank in the 2024 general elections for the first time since it was established more than 10 years ago.
The cause of the decline has largely been attributed to the EFF’s defence of former president Jacob Zuma during the party’s election campaign and the launch of Zuma’s MK party.
EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu and senior leaders Dali Mpofu, Busisiwe Mkhwebane and Mzwanele Manyi defected to MK shortly after the election. Malema has said that he expected more members to follow.
“The EFF wishes the fighters well in their future endeavours,” the party’s statement said.
Ndlozi did not return calls requesting comment.
The EFF said the party would comment on the resignation and who would fill the vacancies in parliament only “in due time”.
For the moment, Ndlozi remains an EFF member.
For most of his term in parliament, Ndlozi was a vocal and outspoken MP, relentlessly challenging both former president Jacob Zuma and current President Cyril Ramaphosa on governance failings.
Ndlozi, who joined the EFF after being a student activist, was central to the Fees Must Fall protests and gained popularity with the public for his strategic parliamentary antics, particularly his jokes about fellow MPs.
He was also popular on social media, where he was labelled the “People’s Bae”.
Sources in the party said Ndlozi, who was once said to be in line to become Malema’s deputy, is now closer to Shivambu. But he has not given any indication he will also join the MK party.
Political analyst Wayne Sussman says Ndlozi’s departure would be a huge loss for EFF.
“The loss of Ndlozi means people need to be 100% loyal to the leader of the party (Malema). That is the decision Malema has taken instead of allowing the EFF to be a broad church,” Sussman said.
Sussman said the EFF had not regained its losses in the 2024 general elections in by-elections held since then. He said the party needed to urgently put in place a rebuilding strategy, especially among the youth and young professionals that Ndlozi appealed to.
“Ndlozi is someone who has appeal, especially to academics and students. In by-elections EFF has struggled since 2024, so in general it does not look as though the EFF has recovered. If it is to do so, it needs passionate leaders like Ndlozi,” said Sussman.
Updated: January 9 2025
This article has been updated with comment
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