EFF leader Julius Malema has called on members of the party to accept the departure of his former deputy Floyd Shivambu and move on.
Malema addressed party structures in Orlando, Soweto on Monday evening and said while he has been hurt by the move which he now describes as “betrayal” he accepts that it was irreversible and he urged members to rather focus on building the organisation in preparation for the 2026 local government elections as well as by-elections.
Malema did not mince his words as he vowed to wipe off Shivambu’s foot print in the organisation including dismantling the governance unit that he headed.
“… everything else that looks like the former deputy president shall be dismantled in the EFF and gotten rid off with immediate effect. The GTU [Government Task Unit] and all those who served in the GTU under the deputy president are dissolved. You want to deploy anyone into government on behalf of the EFF you shall report to the office of the president,” said Malema to greet thunder in the packed Orlando Community Hall.
Malema announced former spokesperson Sinawo Tambo will take Shivambu’s place as an EFF member of parliament while Secretary General Marshall Dlamini will assume the role of parliamentary Chief Whip, previously held by Shivambu.
Despite feeling “betrayed and attacked” by Jacob Zuma’s MK party, Malema warned the red berets to not focus their energies on fighting the newly formed party which he said the EFF will continue to work with in parliament as part of the so called progressive caucus’.
Malema said a preoccupation with MKP may make the EFF lose focus which he argues is to fight against the Government of National Unity.
“We are not in alliance with MKP. What it does is none of our business. We are competing for power with them. When we get to parliament we will work with them including those who left us, we will be friendly to them but the friendship will end there. We’ll do so in the councils as well but there’s no alliance and we have no progressive caucus at institutions of higher learning or any where else. Don’t obsess with MKP, the real enemy is the GNU of DA and Freedom Front Plus,” he said.
Malema for the first time gave a detailed account of what happened between him and his former deputy even denying weekend media reports suggesting he went behind Shivambu’s back to ask for deputy president post from President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“I asked him what have I done to you and he said nothing, it’s a political decision. I don’t believe it but I accept it. We are done mourning now, thank you for the messages of supports and prayers but life has to continue now, we can’t mourn forever,” say Malema.