Mapaballo Borotho

Former Secretary General of the Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) party Floyd Shivambu, says there’s no sane, self-respecting person in South Africa who would join the African National Congress (ANC) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
Shivambu was briefing the media in Midrand on Thursday, 19 June 2025, regarding his future in South African politics.
This comes after Shivambu was relieved of his duties as the secretary general of Jacob Zuma’s MK party, following his visit to controversial self-proclaimed prophet Bushiri, who is a fugitive to the South African Justice system.
When Shivambu initially announced his plans for the briefing, many thought he would announce his new political party.
“I have learnt more in the 6 months since I joined MK than in the 10 years during my tenure as the Deputy President of the EFF – in terms of real politics. I will never join the ANC, it is directionless, it does not know what it is doing. They are in collaboration with the white system. I will never re-join the EFF – because it is a cult,” said Shivambu.
Shivambu also announced plans to consult with notable individuals and everyday South Africans on establishing an organisation that will represent the interests of the South African people.
“I do not want to form a political party; I want to fight within the existing political parties. If we were to form a political party, I would want us to go to South Africans and ask them exactly what they want. A political party should never be a family project, a tribal or ethnic project. A political party must not be a cult. We will be seeking opinions from different sectors of society as to is there a need to form a political party and what should be the values of that political party,” he said.
Shivambu’s political journey began with the ANC Youth League, where he served as the national spokesperson from 2008 to 2012.
When Floyd Shivambu and Julius Malema were suspended from ANC, they worked closely to start the EFF in 2013. Shivambu was the party’s Deputy President from 26 July 2013 until 15 August 2024.
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