Ndlozi pledges loyalty to EFF - the ‘people’s party’ - as his future comes under spotlight

EFF MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi has reassured party members of his loyalty to the red berets amid leadership shake-ups.   

The EFF is weeks away from its elective conference in December and much of the spotlight has been on Ndlozi, “the people’s bae”, with many questioning his future in the party.

Concerns have been raised about whether he will take up the call from the youth and contest for the vacant deputy president post or whether he will follow former deputy president Floyd Shivambu and join Jacob Zuma’s MK Party.

Former EFF chairperson Dali Mpofu and MPs Busisiwe Mkhwebane and Mzwanele Manyi have also jumped ship to join the MK Party.

As he dominated headlines on Sunday, Ndlozi praised the EFF.

“Unequivocal,” he said in the caption to a video he posted on social media of himself at the EFF’s Gauteng youth voter registration bash last year which was attended by thousands of young people.

During the event, Ndlozi lamented to the youth that they were the future and “no-one can stop us”.   

In a follow-up public post, he said: “Asinamona, Asinanzondo, siyayidumisa iEFF! Umbutho wabantu! [We are not jealous, we do not hate, we praise the EFF, the people’s party].”

Ndlozi led the EFF in Gauteng during the May 29 elections and the party received 12.92% of the vote in the province, a decrease from 14,67% in 2019. 

Last month the EFF Students Command (EFFSC) expelled former University of Limpopo SRC member Kganki Mphahlele after he took jabs at EFF leader Julius Malema while calling for Ndlozi to vie for the deputy president post. 

Mphahlele, an SRC member in 2022/23, was adamant the survival of the organisation depended on Ndlozi after Shivambu's exit.   

“[Ndlozi] is the deputy president we want. The EFF is a people's protest movement styled as a political party and not a fiefdom of individuals. If the delegates in majority say Dr Ndlozi must rise, then he shall rise,” Mphahlele said a day before he was expelled.

“CIC Julius Malema is not a National People Assembly superdelegate, he must not dare try to impose Godrich Gardee as the EFF deputy president. We don't want Gardee, we want Mbuyiseni Ndlozi as branches. Julius and all his deployees must not dare start a war with branches, war is a very difficult thing.”

Mphahlele’s call was supported by other former EFF SRC leaders at different universities.

The Sunday Times reported that Gardee was Malema’s preferred deputy president candidate.   

Malema has been critical of EFF leaders who have been silent during their times of troubles. 

While Ndlozi was the spokesperson of the EFF and responsible for the party’s branding in its infant stages, he has not publicly spoken about the leadership troubles but instead pledged his allegiance to the EFF — not necessarily the leaders.    

Malema previously defended his relationship with Ndlozi as many speculated his cryptic notes criticising “silent” leaders were directed at the MP.

“He has expressed himself internally in the organisation, and he writes his own history. Everybody writes his own history,” said Malema in a previous interview with the SABC. 

“He has been at occasions where the organisation ought to be defended; he has defended the organisation. I've not heard him say anything about the issue of Floyd, but the constitution does not say [anything about defending the party when Floyd leaves]. Internally and externally, the organisation has to be defended both privately and in public. So if he has chosen not to say anything on Floyd, it doesn't mean he has not defended the organisation where he gets an opportunity, which he does very well in parliament. He defends the integrity and the image of the EFF.”