'At a difficult time in his life, Malema accepted him': Niehaus on Manyi leaving EFF to join MK Party

EFF MP Carl Niehaus has criticised former MP Mzwanele Manyi's decision to leave the red berets a year after becoming a member to join the MK Party. 

Manyi resigned from the EFF on Thursday after being sworn in as an EFF MP in June.

“Manyi's conduct lacks integrity. At a difficult time in his life, Malema accepted him and embraced him in the EFF and was good to him. This is not a way to say 'thank you'. Manyi was received by the EFF, he was given a warm welcome. I think it's a bit uncool for him to leave so soon after he joined and was appointed to parliament to now be jumping ship,” Niehaus told TimesLIVE. 

Before joining the EFF, Manyi was leader of the African Transformation Movement (ATM) and before that a member of the ANC. 

Niehaus said his criticism of Manyi was not directed at the MK Party.

“This is not a judgment on the MK Party. We are partners in the progressive caucus and we will certainly work together. This is a judgment I made personally about what I think was not entirely loyal and grateful conduct from the side of Mzwanele Manyi.”

While Niehaus has over the years been a staunch supporter of Zuma he said he would not follow EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu, who also left the party on Thursday to join the MK Party. 

“I will remain a loyal member of the EFF and absolutely have no reason to even consider the possibility of leaving the EFF. My belief remains that the EFF is the only true economic emancipatory revolutionary movement in South Africa. I will continue to serve the EFF as a member of the National Assembly. I remain a loyal member and I remain loyal to the president and the commanding chief of the EFF, Malema.”

He said the exit of some of the party's leaders will not destroy it. 

“This is not going to be the downfall of the EFF, the EFF will grow from strength to strength. The EFF will survive what is happening now. The EFF is a strong party with a strong ideological foundation. Those who think this will be a premature end of the EFF are going to be disappointed.”

In an interview on Power 98.7, Manyi was unapologetic about switching political homes again.

“I make no apologies for leaving. What is important for me is the agenda. If you check my moves, they will always be on the progressive agenda — on the left agenda. The more left you are, the more I get attracted to you,” Manyi said.

TimesLIVE