Shivambu got what he deserved, says Malema on demotion
EFF leader Julius Malema says the party’s former deputy president, Floyd Shivambu, got what he deserved.
Malema reacted to Shivambu’s removal as MK Party secretary general following a controversial trip to Malawi, where he was seen with fugitive prophet Shepherd Bushiri.
He spoke to the media outside the Pretoria North home of Presley Chweneyagae, where he was paying his respects to the late actor.
“‘Yena aya kwini’ (the XiTsonga phrase meaning ‘where did he think he was going’),” said Malema.
“I don’t work with Floyd, not in Parliament, not at a soccer match, not anywhere. And if you really knew Floyd, you’d ask who would pay up? So, I’m not getting involved. It’s not our problem.
“We’re in Parliament, we’re working, that’s it. If he comes to Parliament, he’ll find us in motion.
"That space is now being run by young people, and they’re ready for him. He won’t be able to undermine the superior logic of the EFF in that Parliament.”
Shivambu visited Bushiri’s Enlightened Christian Gathering Church in Malawi over the Easter weekend.
On Tuesday, the MK Party’s national organiser, Nathi Nhleko, told the media the trip was not officially sanctioned, a direct violation of the party’s constitution.
Bushiri and his wife fled South Africa in 2020 while out on bail and are still wanted on multiple charges, including fraud, money laundering, rape, and immigration violations.
Shivambu will now be redeployed to Parliament, a familiar space where he previously served as an EFF MP.
Malema also weighed in on the MK Party’s calls for black unity, accusing it of unfairly targeting the EFF.
"Black unity is what the EFF stands for — we've always said black people must unite. So it’s disingenuous to form another party and then claim you’re calling for black unity.
"The moment you form a new party, you’re already dividing people. If unity was the goal, they should have joined the EFF instead of creating a parallel organisation.
"But here's my issue: why is the call for black unity always directed at the EFF? They never say the ANC or the Patriotic Alliance refuses to unite with them. It’s always ‘EFF this, EFF that’. We won’t accept that, because it’s not about unity, it’s an agenda to weaken the EFF.
"Why aren’t they reporting on unity talks with the UDM or the many other black-led formations? We don’t buy into that narrative, because we believe it’s not genuine.”
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