Cape Town — The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party’s new secretary-general, Floyd Shuvambu, revealed that he had nothing to do with the recent resignations of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) members.
Shivambu joined the MK Party after his departure from the EFF. Shortly after he joined, he was appointed the party’s national organiser and later appointed as the MK’s new secretary-general by party leader, Jacob Zuma.
“It is a great honour and brings a deep sense of humility to be shown and given utmost confidence by President Jacob Zuma to play an important role of secretary general of the MK Party,” Shivambu said of his new appointment.
Following Shivambu, Busisiwe Mkhwebane and Dali Mpofu ditched the EFF in favour of the MK Party. Shivambu said he should not be tipped as the man responsible for the high-profile departures that have rocked the EFF recently, Newzroom Afrika reported.
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“I do not think it would be correct to claim that I am the one who brought them. They joined uMkhonto we Sizwe by themselves, out of their political consciousness, out of their appreciation that they believe that uMkhonto weSizwe will play an important role and that they would make the necessary contribution,” Shivambu said.
He explained that it was not his individual achievement and that these people were “adults with huge political history.”
“I mean, advocate (Dali) Mpofu for instance next year will be 50 years as an activist. Mzwanele Manyi has played several roles. He was director general at some stage in his life, has been a member of Parliament, he was the chairperson of the Black Management Forum. Advocate Mkhwebane is an accomplished individual, a fighter for justice who has been an advocate, she has been a very excellent public protector. So to claim that I brought them is wrong,” Shivambu added.
[WATCH] Floyd Shivambu on whether his appointment as MK party secretary-general was a reward for bringing former EFF members to the party: “It is not only legal minds that President Zuma is assembling in the MK party. There are brilliant minds in the collective of the MK party.”… pic.twitter.com/H6smqJHViG
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) November 10, 2024
He said President Zuma saw it fit that he should be the party’s secretary-general, which stemmed from his role as the party’s national organiser as the two roles are linked under the same guidance under the structures of the party’s “Secretariat”.
According to TimesLIVE, Shivambu reiterated that the new members left the EFF to join MK voluntarily and said he would not attempt to recruit his former EFF colleague, Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, whom he described as “a brother”.
“I’m not in the process of recruiting leaders from other political parties, but if they come, we’re going to welcome them and encourage them to participate much more meaningfully in the politics of MK. If leaders from different political parties want to play that role in MK, we encourage them to come and do so. However, we are not in the process of poaching leaders to leave their organisations by promising them better positions,” Shivambu said.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
