Floyd Shivambu has been removed as the Secretary General of uMkhonto weSizwe (MKP) just a few months into the position. MKP announced the decision at a media briefing in Durban on Tuesday stating that it follows a meeting of officials with party leader Jacob Zuma, the former president of South Africa.
MKP said the decision followed public outrage over Shivambu’s visit to the church of fugitive and self-proclaimed prophet Sherphard Bushiri where he attended the easter service.
Shivambu had claimed in several interviews that the trip had been sanctioned by Zuma but MK National Chairperson Nkosinathi Nhleko said the trip was never approved the former President or the party.
“After lengthy discussions and considerable inputs from the national officials,it was concluded that the actions of the Secretary-General were found to be against the spirit and prescripts of the MK party in its constitution, most specifically Section 3J, subsection J, sorry, under the section that deals with offences, which stipulates the following, and that’s subsection J, undertaking international trips and participating in activities and programmes that are opposed to the agenda of the MK party or allied party,” said Nhleko.
He rubbished Shivambu’s contention, made during various media engagements that the Bushiris were not fugitives. Shivambu has consequently been redeployed to the National Assembly as an ordinary MP.
“Noting that on the 12th of March 2025, the Republic of Malawi’s Chief Resident Magistrate delivered a ruling that granted the South African Republic’s requests for the extradition, it is common knowledge that Bishop Shepherd Poshiri and his wife Mary Poshiri skipped bail and are to return to South Africa to stand trial on various charges. Based on the deliberations by national officials, it was confirmed that the trip was not an officially sanctioned programme of the organisation or the president, which therefore goes against the constitution of the party.
“The MK party and its leadership has been approached by members of various sectors of civil society and is taking due consideration of the gravity of this matter. Due to the various nature of this matter and its implications for the party, its image, values and principles, the president and national officials were left with no other option but to act swiftly in addressing this matter. Consequently, as a responsible organisation accountable to its electorate and the broader society, the national officials have come to a decision to redeploy Commander Floyd Shibambo as theSecretary General of the party and redeploying him to the National Assembly,” said Nhleko.
The move brings to an end about Shivambu’s future that was marred by tensions between him and a faction led by Duduzile Zuma, an MP and the party leader’s daughter. Shivambu underplayed his removal and said he looked forward to serving in his new role.
“I want to confirm that the national officials have taken a decision which I fully accept as a disciplined member of Mkonto Etheze. We have been redeployed to the National Assembly and will continue to play the role of advancing the agenda and programme of Mkonto Etheze. It has been an invaluable role that we have played and a humbling experience that we have been assigned by the president.I want to thank him for leading the programme of unification of all the progressive forces in South Africa. That is the agenda that we are going to continue to pursue,” said Shivambu.