Floyd Shivambu’s successor will have to wait – Malema

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema said the party will not fill deputy president Floyd Shivambu’s position until the party holds its elective conference later this year.

The red berets were dealt a massive blow when Shivambu announced his official resignation from the party during an urgent press briefing on Thursday at Winne Madikizela Mandela House – the party’s headquarters in Marshalltown, Johannesburg.

No replacement for Shivambu yet

After intense speculation, Shivambu confirmed he had joined former President Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party.

EFF leader Julius Malema likened Shivambu’s resignation to the death of his mother adding that the party’s door would always be open for Shivambu.

Malema said there will not be a replacement for Shivambu because the party is going to an elective conference in December.

“This is a testing moment. An organisation that has lived beyond 10 years has never been through this testing moment…the EFF will have to pass this test or it will have to die.”

ALSO READ: MK party: Shivambu will be deployed according to strengths and expertise

‘My coffin will be draped with the flag of the EFF’

Malema said he will remain a “loyal and disciplined” member of the EFF.

“I will be buried and my coffin will be draped with the flag of the EFF. Even if I remain alone, I will do so because I am loyal to this cause. To resign from it, I will be betraying those people who said ‘we are prepared to take this risk because we believe in the vision of the EFF and its generational mission.’

“I want to reassure the ground forces of the EFF, loyal, hard-working, disciplined ground forces of the EFF, I am with you and I will never turn my back against this organisation and I will never turn my back against this building named after one of the best leaders our struggle has produced, Winne Madikizela Mandela House,” Malema said.

Malema said the doors of the EFF building will remain open as a “monument for the struggle for economic freedom in our lifetime.”

The uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party confirmed Shivambu will be deployed according to his strengths and expertise in the party.

ALSO READ: Floyd Shivambu joins Zuma’s MK party