Could Mbuyiseni Ndlozi succeed Marshall Dlamini as EFF secretary-general?
Some of the EFF’s top six have been involved in scandals that might jeopardize their re-election prospects. Could Mbuyiseni Ndlozi rise as the new SG?
Former EFF Student Command president Mpho Morolane is rallying support for ex-spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi to be elected as secretary-general.
The EFF is expected to convene its National People’s Assembly in December this year to elect new leadership and review some of its policies.
MBUYISENI NDLOZI BEST SUITED TO BECOME EFF SECRETARY-GENERAL?
Morolane took to X saying he must convene a meeting of all former EFFSC students including the current one to deliberate on the upcoming National People’s Assembly.
“I think I must convene a meeting of all former presidents of EFFSC including the current one. We must have a view on the EFF national people assembly. I will persuade them if they agree, that a character like Mbuyiseni must come as an SG,” he wrote.
Here’s the current EFF leadership:
- President – Julius Malema
- Deputy president – Floyd Shivambu
- Treasurer-general – Omphile Maotwe
- Chairperson – Veronica Mente
- Secretary-general – Marshall Dlamini
- Deputy secretary-general – Poppy Mailola
Notably, since the party was launched 11 years ago, Julius Malema and Floyd Shivambu are the only two who have retained their positions. However, following the party’s dismal performance in the 29 May elections, it is unclear whether Malema will be elected as leader this time.
The EFF was the third-biggest political party in the country before 29 May, with 44 seats in the National Assembly. However, it slipped to fourth position while the Jacob Zuma-led uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party shot up to third. The Red Berets received just under two million votes, and its number of seats in provincial legislatures across the country declined.
After the IEC declared the results, several EFF supporters blamed the party’s open border policy for the decline. However, party leader Julius Malema denied this.
Malema said they are unwilling to compromise a principle to please non-existent voters.
“Our voters understand our message very well. Our open border policy is that we want Africa to be one, but you cannot do that before you develop the other economies of Africa,” Malema said.
“These people don’t want to come here for the sake of coming here. They want jobs and greener pastures. We’re a big country, and we’ve got a huge capacity. So, we can develop their countries and develop out of that hugely,” he added.
COULD RECENT SCANDALS RUFFLE SOME FEATHERS IN THE PARTY’S TOP SIX?
Some of the EFF’s top six have been embroiled in situations that could potentially hurt their chances of re-election in December.
Last week, former Venda Building Society (VBS) Mutual Bank chairperson Tshifhiwa Matodzi implicated Malema and Shivambu in his explosive affidavit.
Matodzi said as chairman of VBS, he decided that Malema and EFF should be approached for VBS to explain its position and how former president Jacob Zuma was granted a R10 million loan.
Further, he explained that he met with Malema and Shivambu in Sandton around April/May 2017. The party’s current Secretary-General, Marshall Dlamini, was also present. However, he did not participate in the meeting.
“I then proposed that VBS can donate R5 million and R1 million per month to the EFF. I also made it clear that the amount could only be deposited into a VBS account and that the EFF should therefore open a bank account with VBS.
“At some stage Floyd indicated to me they have opened an account at VBS in the name of a company called Sgameka. A transfer of R5 million, as promised, was made on my instructions from Malibongwe to Sgameka on 8 June 2017. Subsequent payments were made to the Sgameka VBS account every month and were paid from Vele or any of Vele’s subsidiaries. Myself, Julius and Floyd understood that concept of donation to mean gratification hence Floyd and Julius did not provide me with EFF’s own banking details for these ‘donations’,” Matodzi explained.
Additionally, in June, Marshall Dlamini was convicted in the Cape Town Magistrates Court for assaulting a police officer in Parliament during the 2019 State of the Nation Address, during a fracas with the House’s security and EFF MPs.
Magistrate Nasha Banwari sentenced Dlamini to 18 months in prison, suspended for five years, for assaulting Constable Johan Carstens, and also fined him R6000 or a three-month prison term for malicious damage to property. Dlamini, via a statement by the Red Berets, has indicated that he plans to appeal the conviction and sentence.