MK Party expels former secretary general Floyd Shivambu

Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has confirmed the expulsion of former Secretary-General Floyd Shivambu, citing serious violations of party trust and ideological misalignment.

“The leadership of the MK Party has noted several statements and utterances by the former secretary-general, who was removed from the position recently,” said MK Party Chairperson Nathi Nhleko at a press briefing held Friday in Sandton.

Nhleko said the party reviewed Shivambu’s conduct and determined that he had “publicly defined himself outside the ranks and ideological line of the MK Party,” thereby breaching the trust placed in him.

“As a result, a decision was taken to summarily terminate his membership, and a formal letter of expulsion was sent to him on July 15, 2025,” Nhleko said.

The party said it would not entertain any further discussion on the matter.

The media briefing was called to announce the outcomes of a recent meeting of the party’s National Officials. Party leader Jacob Zuma, Nhleko, and other senior leaders were in attendance.

Shivambu, a former deputy president of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), joined the MK Party in August 2024 after leaving the EFF, which he co-founded in 2013. 

However, his tenure at MK was short-lived and marked by internal dissent.

Soon after joining, many MK members did not support his inclusion. 

He was removed as secretary-general following a controversial Easter trip to Malawi, where he attended a church service led by fugitive preacher Shepherd Bushiri.

Although Zuma initially announced Shivambu would be redeployed to Parliament, that plan never materialised, and Shivambu was later sidelined.

His name was excluded from the party’s parliamentary list.

Shivambu has since launched the Mayibuye Consultation Process, a national campaign engaging church leaders and community stakeholders to form a new political party, called Mayibuye iAfrika.

simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za

IOL Politics