EFF leader Julius Malema. | Itumeleng English/ Independent Newspapers
Durban — The EFF is grappling with another wave of defections, with prominent figures such as Khumbulani Langa and Gugu Mtshali dumping the party to join the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), led by former president Jacob Zuma.
Their exit comes as the EFF prepares for its third National People’s Assembly, expected to take place in December, where party leader Julius Malema is poised to be re-elected unopposed.
Langa, who was on the EFF’s provincial command team in KZN, cited disillusionment with the direction of the party as the main reason for leaving.
“The EFF because it no longer serves the interest of the people,” he said.
He expressed disappointment at what he saw as an infiltration of the party by “foreign elements”.
Having been part of the EFF since its establishment in 2013, Langa has climbed through the ranks to hold significant leadership positions, including regional co-ordinator in eThekwini and PR councillor from 2016 to 2021.
His resignation highlights a troubling trend for the EFF, which has seen its representation in the provincial legislature diminish from eight seats in 2019 to just two following the May elections. Mtshali could not be reached for further comment.
This latest defection comes in the wake of other notable exits, including Floyd Shivambu, who abandoned the EFF in August to join the MKP, where he was appointed as a national organiser.
Shivambu’s exit was seen as a devastating blow for the party, particularly as it goes into the local government elections scheduled for 2026.
The party is also under pressure from high-profile resignations, including those of former public protector Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane and media personality-cum politician Fana Mokoena.
In Mkhwebane’s case, speculation is rife that she may follow her husband, David Skosana, to the MKP, where he serves as a MP in the National Assembly.
Other notable EFF leaders who have joined the MKP are former EFF provincial chairperson and MPL Vusi Khoza, who joined MKP after being fired from the EFF along with 210 public representatives, including MPs, MPLs and councillors, for failing to organise transport for supporters in their constituencies to attend the EFF 10th anniversary at FNB stadium last year.
Last week, Siphosakhe Majola, an EFF councillor in the Mthonjaneni Municipality, quit after death threats related to ongoing disputes over his ties to the IFP.
KZN EFF spokesperson Sizwe Blose, said that the party respects individual choices made by its members.
“We do not enter into people’s individual choices. They volunteered to join the EFF, and they resigned on their own.
“As an organisation, we are currently preparing our branches for the upcoming National People’s Assembly,” he said.
Independent political analyst Thobani Zikalala said the EFF would need to reassess its strategies and core principles to avoid further losses before the elections.
“I think the EFF has been around the image of Julius Malema. The strength of the EFF is strong, but Malema will need strong characters and leaders around him to revive the party, which has lost considerable support. The EFF conference is a make-or-break for the party. If it emerges with a strong leadership that will support Malema, I think the EFF will regain its ground. But the party needs to be a mass-based organisation and attract more prominent community leaders.”
He said the radical political space that the EFF owned was now the MKP’s.
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