The political landscape in South Africa is ever-changing, with recent developments drawing significant attention. Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen has expressed concerns over former Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) deputy president Floyd Shivambu’s affiliation with the Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) party. This move has ignited a variety of reactions from political leaders and the public alike.
Shivambu announced his resignation from the EFF during an urgent press briefing at Winnie Mandela House in Johannesburg last week. After intense speculation, he confirmed that he had joined former president Jacob Zuma’s MK party.
Shivambu emphasized his allegiance to the MK party as a defensive measure for South Africa’s future. He stated, “The time comes in the life of any nation when there remain only two choices: submit or fight. That time has now come to South Africa.”
During an engagement with business leaders in Tshwane, John Steenhuisen expressed his critical view of Shivambu’s decision. He argued that the move is not a principled left opposition but rather an opportunistic realignment aimed at exploiting public resources.
Steenhuisen stated, “It is purely opportunistic to use the public purse for their own gain and for the benefit of their network that are now finding each other again.”
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“The reality is that he’s chosen to go to another party. That signals he has troubles within the EFF. But it also signals he has a coalescence now around the forces of the radical left that are there not on principle.”
He said South Africans should be concerned about the calibre of leaders in the MK Party.
“It’s clearly a coming together of the forces of state capture and of VBS in consolidation around Mr Zuma.”
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EFF leader Julius Malema also responded emotionally to Shivambu’s departure. During the Gauteng provincial ground forces forum in Soweto, Malema likened the pain of watching Shivambu leave the party to the heartbreak he felt at his mother’s death.
He made it clear that any member who trades party loyalty for personal gain should leave, emphasizing, “Even if we are alone, we will always continue to speak truth to power.”
The departure of Floyd Shivambu from the EFF to join the MK party has undoubtedly caused ripples in South Africa’s political scene. While Shivambu asserts his move as a fight for the country’s future, leaders like John Steenhuisen view it with skepticism. This divide highlights the complexities and intense emotions surrounding political affiliations and realignments in the nation.
