South Africa’s opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party has suffered another blow after popular MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi resigned from parliament following months of tension with party leader Julius Malema.
Ndlozi was absent from the party’s third elective congress which was held in Johannesburg last month sparking intense speculation about his relationship with Malema.
News of Ndlozi’s resignation was confirmed in a media statement by the party’s spokesperson Leigh-Ann Mathys on Thursday morning.
“The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has received the voluntary resignations of Fighter Yazini Tetyana and Fighter Dr. Mbuyiseni Ndlozi as representatives of the EFF in the Parliament of South Africa,” it said.
“The voluntary requests to be released from deployment, which were sent to the Secretary General of the EFF [Marshall Dlamini] consecutively and within days of each other, expressed gratitude to the EFF for the opportunity to serve the organization and the people of South Africa.”
Ndlozi who served as MP for 10 years in the National Assembly and was once the party spokesman, will remain just an EFF member, for now.
Another MP, Yazini Tetyana has also resigned from Parliament.
As reported by the Daily Maverick; “Ndlozi’s departure was almost written on the wall after a slew of jabs from Malema, beginning in August 2024 when former deputy president Floyd Shivambu deserted the party and crossed the political aisle to join the uMkhonto Wesizwe party.”
Its thought Malema is furious that Ndlozi knew about Shivambu’s plans to quit the EFF and he did not alert him.
During a media briefing in November 2024, Malema quipped; “I do not trust them and will never trust them. Because trust is earned when you show loyalty at the point where it’s most needed, not when it’s a nice time…
“You must show loyalty at the most tested moments… and people who are not loyal must never be trusted by anyone. They will kill you,” he said.
