EFF leader Julius Malema and deputy leader Floyd Shivambu enjoy themselves during the party's 11th anniversary rally at the AR Abbas Sports Ground in Kimberley on July 27, 2024. Allegations that Shivambu was challenging the party's leadership led to a breakdown in relations.
Per Anders Pettersson/Getty Images
Politics
Floyd Shivambu resigned as deputy chair of the EFF on Wednesday night.
City Press has heard from reliable sources that the EFF's number two has resigned following a fallout with extremist leader Julius Malema.
A source who is part of the party's most senior leadership said:
Floyd sent his resignation letter to the party's secretaries on Wednesday night.
Sources said Shivambu was approached by a group of wealthy businessmen who promised him large amounts of money to fund his campaign to take on Malema at the party's electoral conference in December.
Shivambu reportedly agreed to accept the offer.
Apparently Malema got wind of Shivambu's plot and created a fuss.
A source explained:
After finding out what Floyd was up to, Malema became extremely brutal and their relationship quickly deteriorated.
The EFF will be briefing the media at its Braamfontein headquarters in Johannesburg at noon (12pm) on Thursday.
According to sources, President Malema is expected to announce not only Shivambu's resignation but also the resignations of several others.
“There are several people who have resigned, Mzwanele Mani is one of them,” the source said.
Manny is understood to have resigned just over a year after being sworn in as an EFF member of parliament in June last year and just a month after quitting the African Transformation Movement (ATM).
The effects of VBS are still hanging over our heads.
Shivambu has served as vice-chair of the EFF since its founding in 2013.
The party had hoped for strong gains, particularly in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, but its election results were dismal.
Notably, the EFF has fallen from third to fourth largest party due to the rapid rise of Jacob Zuma's Umkhonto weSizwe party.
Shivambu's possible resignation has been further clouded by allegations that he may face charges related to the VBS Mutual Bank scandal, including allegations of corruption and large-scale looting.
Tshiphiwa Matozzi, a central figure in the VBS scandal whose testimony was leaked, suggested ostensible evidence suggested both Shivambu and Malema were involved in a plot to defraud VBS bank and its customers.
read: Malema, Shivambu at odds with EFF over VBS
It is alleged that the suspects used their illicit profits to fund lavish lifestyles and property acquisitions, wiping out the savings of many people, including pensioners, and leaving them in misery.
– This is a developing story. We will provide further updates after the press conference.
