Will Ndlozi leave the EFF? Zuma’s tea invitation becomes a nightmare for party

The famous tea party between Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema and former president Jacob Zuma has come back to haunt the EFF.

In 2021 Zuma invited Malema for a tea meeting at his homestead in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal.

The famous meeting caused a storm on social media with speculation of what the two leaders were meeting about.

However, political analyst Ntsikelelo Breakfast from the Nelson Mandela University (NMU) says honouring the tea invitation was one the worst political moves Malema has made.

The meeting occurred months before Zuma was arrested for being in contempt of the Constitutional Court for failing to appear before the State Capture Commission of Inquiry.

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Zuma has not forgiven Malema

Breakfast said the meeting gave Malema the impression that Zuma had forgiven him for leading the #ZumaMustFall campaign during Zuma’s time as state president.

“The problems of the EFF started with that tea meeting. Malema is at fault. He should not have gone there,” he said.

Breakfast said Malema and Zuma have always had a complicated relationship since 2012 when Malema was kicked out of the ANC Youth League.

This continued in parliament with Malema as leader of the EFF which became one of the largest parties in the legislature.

“Malema took Zuma to the Constitutional Court for breaking his oath of office, there was a ruling. I do not understand why Malema thinks Zuma has forgiven him.”

Progressive caucus

Breakfast said the negative events between Zuma and Malema will make a working relationship between the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party and the EFF difficult.

Both parties are part of the progressive caucus in parliament.

“Zuma has become the biggest winner. The EFF is imploding.” Breakfast said.

Since August 2024 the EFF has seen an exodus of top leaders such as Floyd Shivambu, Dali Mpofu, Busisiwe Mkhwebane, and Mazwanele Manyi, among others.

They have all joined MK, which Zuma launched in December last year.

They have also been rewarded with top positions in the party.

Will Ndlozi leave?

EFF Member of Parliament (MP) Mbuyizeni Ndlozi is also expected to leave the EFF and join the MK party.

Weekend newspaper reports suggested that Ndlozi has been barred from attending the party’s National People’s Assembly (NPA) in December.

At this conference, the party will elect their new national office bearers.

Breakfast said the ongoing drama in the EFF will test the leadership skills of its office bearers.

“The question is if the EFF will emerge stronger out of this when all is said and done. It’s either they shape up or ship out,” he said.

Meanwhile, the EFF has been mum about media reports concerning Ndlozi’s alleged suspension from party activities.

The party’s top leaders had a high-level meeting over the weekend in Sandton to prepare for the party’s elective conference.

However, Ndlozi was not present at the meeting.

On the party’s social media pages, the Central Command Team (CCT) could be seen singing jubilantly in unity without Ndlozi’s presence.

Invitation for a fight

Meanwhile, Malema told EFF’s spokesperson Leigh-Ann Mathys on the party’s podcast published last week that Zuma is now inviting him for a fight.

“This is not the first time he invited me back to fight with him and I’ll do it; I’ll do it with ease. I’m not scared of Zuma or his people,” he said.

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