Shivambu EFF exit ‘not in best interests of people’ − analyst [VIDEO]

Political analyst Asanda Ngoasheng says Floyd Shivambu’s exit from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, which he co-founded, is not in the best interest of the people.

The red berets were dealt a massive blow when the deputy president announced his official resignation from the party during an urgent press briefing at Winnie Mandela House in Johannesburg on Thursday.

Watch political analyst Asanda Ngoasheng speaking about Floyd Shivambu’s exit

‘Musical chairs’

Shivambu confirmed he had joined former president Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party.

A visibly hurt Malema said the EFF had lost a valuable member.

Malema said the pain of watching Shivambu leave the party was similar to the heartbreak he felt at the death of his mother. The pair founded the party in 2013.

Ngoasheng told Newzroom Afrika she finds it “curious” that Shivambu was deployed to KwaZulu-Natal and spent a few months in the province.

“Now he’s moving to a KZN-based political party that surprised everyone by how many votes it received in KZN. So, I am sure there’s going to be many questions about whether Floyd spent the time in KZN rallying forces for the EFF or instead rallied forces for the MK.

“It’s quite close to the election for him to already be defecting and its very interesting to watch this. It reminds me so much of the early 2000’s when we had floor crossing, which was legal, where political party members were moving and playing musical chairs… and my concern is they are not doing this in the interests of citizens,” Ngoasheng said.

“Not end of EFF”

North West University Professor and political analyst André Duvenhage said he agreed with Ngoasheng and that the departure of Shivambu is “definitely not the end of the EFF”.

“But without any doubt, there’s a deep line in the support base of the EFF and we have not only seen it in the 2024 elections, but also in many by elections throughout the country.

“Thus hasn’t come as a surprise for Julius Malema. There’s a relative long history, a year or more, a history of conflict between Floyd Shivambu and Julius Malema,” Duvenhage said.

ALSO READ: EFF deputy Floyd Shivambu and others to ‘step down’

VBS scandal

Duvenhage believes there are a number of other factors that may have contributed to Shivambu leaving the EFF.

“I believe the VBS bank scandal and the investigation implicating Shivambu, someone needs to take the blame within the EFF, without any doubt, it did play a role.

“I think when it comes to corruption, in the composition of the MK party, the MK party is going to war about corruption and state capture and I believe a person like Shivambu is feeling probably more safe within that environment than within the current EFF context.”

Shivambu’s resignation comes a few months before the EFF heads to its People’s Assembly, where the party will elect its new leaders, including the position of deputy president now left vacant after Shivambu’s exit.

In July last year, Shivambu dismissed claims that there were divisions brewing between him and Malema, saying they are “blood brothers”.

Last month, the former chairman of VBS Mutual Bank Tshifhiwa Matodzi implicated Malema and Shivambu in dodgy dealings in connection with the looting of R16.1m from the struggling bank.

ALSO READ: Floyd Shivambu’s successor will have to wait – Malema