Economic Freedom Fighter (EFF) leader Julius Malema has announced that Marshall Dlamini, the party’s secretary-general, will replace Floyd Shivambu as the organisation’s chief whip in Parliament.
Malema also announced that Sinawo Thambo would take over former EFF chief whip Shivambu’s seat in the Parliament.
“We love the youth so Floyd Shivambu shall be replaced by Sinawo Thambo in Parliament, as a member of Parliament [MP] of the Republic of South Africa,” Malema told EFF supporters.
The EFF leader was speaking to party members at a Gauteng Provincial Ground Forces Forum on Monday evening, held at Orlando Community Hall in Soweto.
Manyi and Shivambu replaced
Malema also told party members that Nazier Paulsen, a Western Cape leader of the party and former MP, would replace Mzwanele Manyi as an EFF parliamentarian.
Manyi and Shivambu, both left the Red Berets to join Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto (MK) weSizwe Party. The departures were announced during an emergency press conference held last Thursday at the EFF headquarters in Johannesburg.
Manyi, who joined the EFF in May 2023, is the spokesperson of the Jacob Zuma Foundation and the move defected was not completely unexpected.
Shivambu, who was the party deputy president, read his resignation letter to reporters gathered at Winnie Madikizela-Mandela House during a sombre occasion.
“I wish the EFF full prosperity and success, and wish that all commissars and ground forces will accept the very difficult decision I have taken,” Shivambu read from the letter.
Immediately after Shivambu read the letter, a visibly dejected Malema spoke of his sadness at the departure of his long-time ally and co-founder of the EFF.
“When he sent me a letter yesterday, I felt the same pain when I received the news of the passing away of my mother because Floyd to me is not just a comrade. He is a brother, and he will remain a brother even when he pursues his political career differently,” Malema said to reporters.
No more crying for Shivambu, says Malema
However, on Monday, Malema told EFF members that the time for sadness was over and that they needed to focus on growing the party after the decline suffered during the 2024 elections.
“The mourning period is over!” Malema said to applause.
Malema also announced that he was absorbing the functions of the newly vacated deputy’s president’s office into his duties. The deputy president’s office was tasked with deployments into government structures, he said.
Last week, Malema said the party would not be installing an interim deputy president, considering the party would be electing new leaders at its National People’s Assembly conference in December 2024.
