MK leaders welcome Floyd's axing

But there are fears that the former secretary general's tense relationship with senior party figures may limit his effectiveness in parliament

- Mandisa Nyathi

Senior officials in uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party have welcomed secretary general Floyd Shivambu's dismissal from the party's top administrative post and his redeployment to parliament this week.

Although they expressed “relief” that the party’s leader, Jacob Zuma, has responded to their concerns about Shivambu’s alleged divisive conduct, several insiders warned that his difficult relationship with senior party members could limit his effectiveness in parliament.

Zuma axed Shivambu as secretary general after he had travelled without sanction to Malawi in April to attend a church service led by self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri, a fugitive from South African justice since November 2020. Bushiri fled to his home country with his wife while out on bail and faces criminal charges including violating bail conditions, fraud and rape.

On Monday Zuma said Shivambu’s visit was inconsistent with the MK party’s constitution. The trip, and Shivambu’s insistence on defending how he made it while wearing MK colours, led to what insiders described as the boiling over of long-standing grievances against him.

MK deputy chairperson Nkosinathi Nhleko told Monday’s media briefing that the party had been “left with no other option” but to remove Shivambu from his post.

The redeployment comes as the party prepares to reshuffle its list of parliamentary candidates. Shivambu was not included on the MK list during May 2024 general elections, because he had been on the Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF) list before defecting to the former.