Mzwanele Manyi dumps EFF for MK Party

JOHANNESBURG - Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) member of Parliament (MP) Mzwanele Manyi has left the organisation to join former president Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party.

Manyi and the party’s deputy president Floyd Shivambu announced their departures from the EFF on Thursday.

While they’re yet to disclose what informed their move to leave the red berets, the MK Party said it had welcomed them with open arms.

In the last five years, Manyi has been a member of the African National Congress (ANC), African Transformation Movement (ATM), EFF and has now joined the eight-month-old MK Party.

ALSO READ: EFF's second-in-command Floyd Shivambu calls it quits

Just two months ago, senior EFF MPs Patrick Sindane and Kenny Motsamai also left the red berets to join Gayton McKenzie’s Patriotic Alliance (PA).

Speaking during a media briefing in Johannesburg, a visibly disheartened Julius Malema said he expected an increasing number of people to abandon the EFF and align themselves with the MK Party.

“There will be many others who are going to leave the EFF because they’ve got their loyalty and support to the deputy president.”

Malema described his final meeting with Shivambu as the last supper, expressing dismay over his decision to leave the EFF.

The red beret's leader also revealed the party’s deputy president position would remain vacant until it’s upcoming elective conference in December.

“We are very fortunate, though unfortunate that it happens on the eve of the conference and the conference will be able to resolve this,” said Malema.