Shivambu stands firm on not rejoining EFF, describing it as a 'cult'
On Thursday, MK Party member Floyd Shivambu held a media briefing in Midrand, where he announced convening a committee to look into whether he should form a new political party.
MK Party member Floyd Shivambu held a media briefing in Midrand on Thursday, 19 June 2025. Picture: Jacques Nelles/EWN
JOHANNESBURG - Embattled politician Floyd Shivambu says rejoining the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) was never a consideration for him, describing his former political home as a “cult”.
On Thursday, Shivambu held a media briefing in Midrand, where he announced convening a committee to look into whether he should form a new political party.
Shivambu recently fell out of favour with the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party after he was demoted from secretary-general to an ordinary member.
When Shivambu left the EFF 10 months ago, he vowed never to say a bad word about the party.
However, on Thursday, he broke that vow, calling the party a fiefdom created around its leader, Julius Malema.
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Shivambu says when he was contemplating his political future, he was advised not to return to the red berets.
“There are those who said don’t ever rejoin the EFF because it’s a cult and I agree with them. There is no space for sound ideological reasoning, and there is no self-respecting person who can join both the ANC [African National Congress] and the EFF. I agree with that fully.”
While Malema initially said the door would always remain open for Shivambu to return to the EFF, that is no longer a possibility as the relationship between the two seems to be severed to the point of no return.