Floyd Shivambu's Axing: MKP's Struggle for Stability Ahead of Local Government Polls

Prof. Bheki Mngomezulu

Forming a new political party is a challenging task. There are various reasons for that. Firstly, as the leadership considers strategies to shape the new party and propel it to the forefront, political opportunists see a chance to either rebrand themselves or make themselves politically relevant by venturing into the political space as part of their career aspirations.

Another challenge which new political parties must wrestle with is infiltration. This strategy did not end with the demise of apartheid where spies infiltrated both the ANC’s uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) and the PAC’s APLA. Political parties that have been established post-1994 as splinter parties from preexisting ones faced the same challenge. 

This was the case with the National Freedom Party (NFP) which had members with one leg in the NFP and another leg remaining in the IFP. It was for this reason that the NFP eventually collapsed. Even the Congress of the People (COPE) died a natural death for the same reason, among others.

As would be expected, the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) is not immune to this reality. Being a splinter party from the ANC, it was a foregone conclusion that the party would face serious challenges. Some people joined it under the guise of being genuine members. Meanwhile, they aimed to suck information and feed it back to the ANC. Others were determined to lead the party astray so that it would not grow.

This explains in part why musical chairs have been moving continuously at the party over the past couple of months. Members are deployed in provincial legislatures and the National Assembly only to be withdrawn and replaced by others. Some interpret this negatively arguing that it does not bring stability to the party. Conversely, others see this move as a good strategy to purify the party at its infant stages so that it can have a solid foundation.

The decision by the leadership of the MKP to recall Floyd Shivambu from his position as its Secretary General and to redeploy him to the National Assembly has triggered a national debate. One view is that he was punished for flouting Section 3 (j) of the party’s Constitution. Another view is that by deciding to redeploy Shivambu to the National Assembly, the MKP showed confidence in him and thus promoted him. There is substance in both viewpoints.

A few questions arise. Firstly, what does the continued movement of musical chairs mean for political stability in the MKP? Secondly, does this constant deployment and redeployment instil confidence in the party? Thirdly, to what extent does this ongoing movement of leaders help the MKP’s cause in its preparation for the upcoming Local Government Election (LGE) in 2026?

Answers to these questions are not as simple as one would like them to be. The first question could be addressed by asking another equally important question. Would it be a wise move for the party to keep leaders in their positions for the sake of stability even if such a decision is going to cost it an election and potential growth? Surely, the answer to that question is an emphatic no! It is better to move people around until there is certainty that those who have been deployed are the right fit and can be trusted.

On the second question, confidence in a party (especially a newly formed party like the MKP) is built in different ways. Some parties gain confidence by ensuring that their deployed leaders stay put in their positions until voters and party members get used to them only to suffer at the polls when they realise that they had kept people who did not have the interest of the party at heart. Others change leaders. Each decision is informed by the context of the party.

The third question is even more important. Given that it is now June 2025 and the next LGE will take place in 2026, all political parties must now focus on preparing for this election which will undoubtedly be more contested. Drawing from lessons learnt in the 2024 general election, all political parties would want to do better in 2026.            

Regarding Shivambu’s redeployment in the context of the issues highlighted above, a few points are worth noting. Firstly, Shivambu’s trip to Malawi generated interest both from inside the party and from outside. As a new party, the MKP deemed it necessary to listen to the different voices. However, it did not act abruptly. Instead, it first wanted to read its constitution so that its decision would be constitutionally sound. 

The leadership of the MKP had to do a balancing act. On the one hand, it wanted to demonstrate that it was a listening party. On the other hand, it did not want to make a reckless decision that would work against it later. It was for this reason that the media statement cited a specific section of the MKP’s constitution that was violated but redeployed Shivambu as opposed to expelling him. As indicated by the party’s chairperson Nkosinathi Nhleko, the leadership considered the gravity of the transgression and took an informed decision.

Surely, Shivambu’s political adversaries would have wanted to see him sanctioned by the MKP, ripped off his position with no other redeployment, or summarily dismissed. However, the leadership of the organisation did not want to play into the gallery by making an ill-informed decision which would come back to haunt it.

Importantly, Shivambu is one of the few leaders in the MKP with vast experience in party leadership, mass mobilisation, public speaking, serving in the National Assembly, and articulating the position of the party elegantly. Therefore, the party’s decision “to redeploy him to the National Assembly” was justifiable.

The issue of the 2026 LGE is critical. Given the MKP’s decision on Shivambu’s fate, a few questions arise. What will be his impact on the National Assembly? Will it change the balance of forces, especially given his experience in that institution? Will continued instability in the MKP in the National Assembly work to the advantage of the coalition government which is imploding from within? Importantly, how will Shivambu’s arrival in the National Assembly assist the MKP in reaffirming its position as the official opposition?

All these questions are important for several reasons. The ANC and the DA have weakened the coalition government through public mudslinging and the DA’s litigation against a government it is part of. Secondly, the MKP has been less vocal as the official opposition party for various reasons. Thirdly, the ongoing war of words between the EFF and the MKP has weakened the opposition. Fourthly, the MKP’s focus on internal politics and the party’s investment in devising strategies to purify itself and strengthen its structures has derailed its plans to hold the coalition accountable. Lastly, the MKP’s concerns about issues relating to the 2024 general election have disturbed its focus.

While all these issues are genuine and relevant, it is time for the MKP to focus on repositioning itself as the official opposition and avoid what the DA failed to do in that position. With the LGE imminent, the movement of musical chairs must now end!

* Prof. Bheki Mngomezulu is Director of the Centre for the Advancement of Non-Racialism and Democracy at Nelson Mandela University.

** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL, Independent Media or The African.