No Ndlozi Comeback: EFF Shuts Down Joburg Mayor Rumours Amid Election Build-Up

The Economic Freedom Fighters has firmly dismissed speculation that former MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi could return to the party as its mayoral candidate for Johannesburg.

Speaking ahead of the party’s voter registration campaign launch, EFF secretary-general Marshall Dlamini made it clear that no such discussions are taking place.

“No, there’s no such thing. There’s no discussion like that,” Dlamini said, shutting down growing rumours about Ndlozi’s possible political comeback.

Parties Gear Up for High-Stakes Gauteng Battle

With the 2026 local government elections on the horizon, political parties are ramping up efforts to secure key metros, particularly in Gauteng.

The race for control of City of Johannesburg is already heating up, with several candidates officially in the running. Herman Mashaba has been confirmed as ActionSA’s mayoral candidate, while Helen Zille will represent the Democratic Alliance. Kenny Kunene has also entered the race.

The MK Party is expected to reveal its candidate before April, adding further intrigue to what is likely to be a tightly contested election.

Meanwhile, the city continues to struggle with major service delivery issues, including unreliable water and electricity supply, pothole-ridden roads, ageing infrastructure, uncollected waste, and faulty streetlights and traffic signals.

EFF Focuses on Internal Processes and Voter Drive

Dlamini emphasised that the EFF is not rushing to announce its candidates, insisting the party follows a structured internal process guided by consultation across all levels.

“First, we had to go to a plenary where we sit and have a plan of what becomes the programme of action for the year, and that’s exactly what we did, because what you don’t want is to be reactive and just follow each and every political party, then you’re going to lose focus,” he said.

“You have to work on your own plans that talk to you about how you are structured as an organisation, making sure that all your structures are ready, and we did that at the end of February.

“We went to a planner because, as an organisation, we’re a unitary organisation, but we’re also an organisation that believes we have to make sure there is consultation within the structure so that we can come up with decisions… So we don’t announce candidates from some backroom.”

He added that all decisions would ultimately be guided by the party’s Central Command Team (CCT), its top decision-making structure between conferences.

Mass Voter Registration Campaign Takes Priority

The EFF is set to launch its nationwide voter registration drive at Winnie Madikizela House in Johannesburg, urging South Africans to register ahead of the elections.

Dlamini cited data indicating a significant gap between eligible voters and those registered.

“So it means you’ve got 18 million South Africans eligible to vote but not registered to vote.

“So that is why the first programme is to go and launch a mass voter registration, where we’re inviting all South Africans to come to Winnie Madikizela House, the headquarters of the EFF, where we’re going to have that rally to launch the voter registration.”

“You’ve got a right to vote, you’ve got the right to join your own political party and to defend this democracy. The first line of duty in defence of democracy is to make sure that eligible voters are registered to vote so that, on the day of elections, no one is going to complain.”

Dlamini confirmed that a scheduled CCT meeting had been postponed following a bereavement affecting party leader Julius Malema.

The delay comes after the passing of Martha Motlanalo Malema, described as a close family figure. She is set to be buried in Polokwane, Limpopo.

“We were supposed to sit this Friday, but we had an approval where the CIC (referring to Julius Malema) has lost his mother, and we made a decision that we wanted all of us to focus on being able to sit in that meeting, so we’ll sit in that meeting immediately after the launch of the voter registration campaign,” Dlamini said.

Ndlozi’s Exit Still Looms Over Party Dynamics

Ndlozi stepped down from the EFF in February 2025 after months of internal tensions, suspensions and allegations of disloyalty.

His departure followed claims he was linked to an alleged “infiltration strategy” involving the MK Party, accusations he denied.

The controversy also centred on his failure to inform Malema about former deputy president Floyd Shivambu’s reported intention to defect to the MK Party.

After leaving politics, Ndlozi briefly joined Power FM as a talk show host before exiting the station last month.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: ANC’s Bernice Swarts Apologises After ‘One Family, One Loaf’ Campaign Sparks Vote-Buying Storm

Despite speculation of internal cracks, Dlamini rejected suggestions that the party has lost key talent.

“If you look at the EFF now in the National Assembly… everything else, the Bills that are in Parliament now are run by the current members of the EFF.

“We’ve never had an organisation that was obsessed with status… We work as members of the EFF. The EFF has always got quality.”

“That’s why, even when parties announce candidates, we don’t panic because we’re not informed by what is fashionable. We work with the programme of the EFF that we adopt, and we take full responsibility around it,” he added.