IS IT EFF leader Julius Malema’s leadership or is it just normal political party setbacks that could explain the reasons behind the resignation of EFF MPs Yazini Tetyana and Fighter Dr. Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, and what does it mean for the future of the EFF?
The EFF confirmed the resignation of Ndlozi and Tetyana from their Parliamentary roles this week, adding that the party had accepted their respective requests.
“The EFF has received the voluntary resignations of Fighter Yazini Tetyana and Fighter Dr. Mbuyiseni Ndlozi as representatives of the EFF in the Parliament of South Africa.
“The EFF has accepted the respective voluntary requests to be released from deployment of the two Fighters, who have diligently served the organisation in their respective deployments since the EFF has had representation in the legislative sphere,” the party said in a statement.
Since the departure of Floyd Shivambu last year, Ndlozi had spent the past five months in isolation after he was barred from taking part in the recent elective conference of the red berets.
The move marks the end of a chapter for the pair who had been integral to the party's representation in the National Assembly.
However political analysts expressed mixed reactions to the news with some viewing it as normal organisational setbacks, while others caution that an EFF built solely on Malema as a key figure, could lead to “its ultimate demise”.
Political analyst Professor Sipho Seepe said: “There is nothing earth-shattering about parties going through organisational setbacks. This is how parties prove their worth. Elections are a referendum on political parties and their leadership. Those parties that have performed below their expectations would use the results as an opportunity to go back to the drawing board and to do some soul searching. The EFF is no exception. The EFF still commands a following. It has a distinct message that resonates with its constituency. It cannot be written off because of the resignation of a few individuals.
“Disagreements among political leaders are par for the course. This includes individuals joining other parties. It is also not unusual for individuals to return to the party that they had abandoned. We have seen that happening in the bigger parties such as the ANC. Those who join the Congress of the People, for instance, are now back with the ANC. The real test is how the EFF leadership is going to deal with the current challenges.”
“Over the past few months the EFF has lost a number of senior leaders such as Dali Mpofu, Busisiwe Mkwebane, Mzwanele Manyi, Yazini Tetyana and Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi. While some of these departures came as a surprise, others could have been prompted by possible exclusion from political activities. This exodus of senior leaders could reflect the internal dynamics of the political party and suggest possible unhappiness with the past and current leadership of the party. However, the exit of founding members could suggest a lack of direction, as well as the possible decline and ultimately the downfall of the EFF.”
University of South Africa lecturer and political analyst Sanet Solomon said the departure of senior leaders was not directly linked to the decline in the party’s election performance.
“These leaders just found an alternative home that aligns more with their values and political aspirations. For more than a decade, many regarded the EFF as their only alternative to the ANC. Thus, they managed to attract a large voting bloc. The establishment of MK, however, changed this as those previously linked to President Zuma could join his new party.
“In order to ensure a sustainable future, the EFF has to grow beyond Malema as a personality and embrace new leadership and ideas. It appears that the party has become rather stagnant and unable to incorporate fresh perspectives and views which would ultimately result in its demise.
“The success of any political party depends on its ability to adapt to growing contextual factors, the incorporation of new ideas and leaders, as well as the ability to pre-empt the needs of voters. At this point the EFF is solely built on Malema as a key figure and his loyalists. This will lead to its ultimate demise,” said Solomon.
Policy analyst Nkosikhulule Nyembezi added that over the years, Malema pressured Ndlozi and other founding EFF members to pursue a “surreal interpretation of their leadership roles in the party and in legislative bodies in discharging their constitutional responsibilities”.
“Ndlozi and others refused, igniting Malema’s fury for not subordinating their philosophical or constitutional principles in service to him, thereby showing ‘disloyalty’.”
“Since the EFF’s formation in 2013, Ndlozi remained at the forefront of a new kind of politics, both in terms of how he came to power and how he chose to use it. He harnessed the emerging force of social media with his easygoing celebrity to win support for his interventions in parliament. Once in office, he stressed the inclusivity and progressive nature of the EFF leaders in influential positions as much as what they planned to do with the power they possessed. Curiously, identity politics have helped bring about his downfall, and social media networks have soured on him,” Nyembezi said.
Additional reporting by Siyabonga Sithole.
Cape Times