Mbuyiseni Ndlozi resigns from Economic Freedom Fighters, shifts focus to academia and civil society

Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, former MP, has finally left the Economic Freedom Fighters and party politics altogether after a turbulent period of escalating tensions with EFF leader Julius Malema, which led to the collapse of their once-strong relationship.

Ndlozi’s departure from the red berets was practically written on the wall as his relationship with Malema soured after he failed to inform him of the defection of the party’s former deputy president Floyd Shivambu to the uMkhonto Wesizwe party.   

Ndlozi announced during an interview with the SABC’s Mzwandile Mbeje that he wanted to provide the public with closure on the matter. Ndlozi said he stood by his decision to withhold the information from Malema, saying it was simply not his place to inform him. 

“The idea that I should have run behind his (Shivambu’s) back to inform other people or the leadership suggests that I am an informant, a gossiper or a wedge driver, I am none of those. It was Floyd’s decision, he had to communicate it, and he did,” he said.  

Ndlozi’s woes in the party began six weeks before it was due to have its elective conference in December. Due to his popularity and strong appeal within the party, especially among the youth, it was almost certain that he would secure a spot in the top five.

However, the party’s then leadership decided to charge him and bar him from participating altogether. 

Reflecting on the suspension, Ndlozi said it was “unconventional” as it didn’t rely on the EFF’s code of conduct.   

Read more: Mbuyiseni Ndlozi resigns as EFF MP: Farewell, People’s Bae 

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At the time of being charged, the leadership informed him that they had an intelligence report suggesting he was involved in an infiltration strategy by the MK party. The party alleged that he had been working with former president Jacob Zuma’s party and intended to join them, which Ndlozi denied.

“Of course I was told to stay at home, cease my participation in Parliament and the rest of the activities of the EFF, and so it was important for me they said that the investigation was still ongoing, and that when it was finished I then would be given an opportunity to respond to these at a later stage.” 

Ndlozi said although the allegations against him were  “dangerous and very serious” he held on to the hope that he would be exonerated by the party’s report, and that he would at a later stage be given an opportunity to state his case.   

To date, this had not happened, despite him reaching out to the leadership on several occasions. 

“The attitude of the collective leadership is very clear, I don’t think there is any interest, and personally I have let it go.”    

With a strong academic background, Ndlozi has since expressed a desire to contribute to civil society and academia, leveraging his education after completing his PhD in Political Sociology at the University of the Witwatersrand in 2017.  

“I have taken a decision to step away from party politics,” he said. “I have left the EFF. I have left party politics. I have handed in my resignation as a member, and it is because where I want to go and contribute, I can’t hold a single party membership.”

On several occasions, Malema publicly criticised EFF leaders who remained silent during the party’s turbulent times.

While Ndlozi himself did not openly address the tension, there were signs that he was being sidelined within the party.

 “It seemed fair for me to wait and clear my name so that I do not function with a dark cloud over my head or a gun in my face.”   

Read more: Malema dismisses reports of potential EFF rebellion over Ndlozi ‘ban’ 

Although Ndlozi was indeed aware of Shivambu’s departure, he said the charges against him were unwarranted. 

“I think that whatever information they say they have was based largely on lies,” he said.

While there were rumors that Ndlozi was joining the ANC, he denied them and defended his decision to remain silent about his political future, stating that speaking out would have undesirable consequences. 

“I did not want to destroy and disrupt an organisation that I had spent the past 11 years of my life building and contributing to its unity, stability and its impact on society. I have no interest in that.  

“My interest from the beginning was in the economic emancipation movement.”   

Shivambu left the party three months after its dismal performance in the 29 May 2024 national and provincial elections, where it secured only 9.52% of the vote — a 1.28% drop from 2019 — losing its position as the third-largest party in Parliament.   

The May election results saw the EFF lose significant support in provinces like KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and Mpumalanga.  

Speaking about the losses, Ndlozi referred to what he said was a miscalculated “tactic of entanglement between the EFF and the MK party”. 

“It’s now a matter of public record that our leadership has been engaged with president Jacob Zuma as well as the MK party for a very long time, a long time ago. My count is that it has been the last three to four years.

“It is that tactic of entanglement that in my view was responsible for the heavy losses,” he said.  

Following Shivambu’s defection to the MK party, several high-ranking EFF officials followed suit. Among them were controversial advocate Dali Mpofu, former Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane, and former ANC spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi — all of whom were parachuted into senior positions.  DM