Fikile Mbalula Alleges That Julius Malema and Floyd Shivambu Control Jacob Zuma

• The African National Congress's Secretary-General, Fikile Mbalula caused a stir online when he commented on relations between Floyd Shivambu, Julius Malema and Jacob Zuma
• He said the tension between Shivambu and the Red Berets leader is manufactured and that they are working together behind closed doors
• He alleged that Shivambu was deployed to the MK Party to manage Dali Mpofu and Zuma

With over seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News, Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist, offered insights into South African politics, national, provincial and local governance, the Government of National Unity, political parties and Parliament.

JOHANNESBURG — Fikile Mbalula, the Secretary-General of the African National Congress (ANC) said the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) president Julius Malema and Floyd Shivambu, the MK Party's secretary-general, have a good relationship in private, despite the public tension between them.

What did Mbalula say?

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Mbalula was speaking at the ANC's press briefing on the outcomes of its latest National Working Committee (NWC) meeting on 7 April 2025. He said Shivambu and Malema are subjecting the country to a movie. He said Malema makes a lot of noise. He said the EFF is double-minded and voted with the Democratic Alliance during the budget vote which was passed on 2 April.

He said he doesn't know why they are fighting. He said Malema and Floyd's tension is fiction.

"These are buddy-buddies. Floyd has been sent to manage JZ and that MK Party and Dali Mpofu," he said.

EFF, ANC and MKP relations

He said Shivambu and Malema want to remove the ANC surgically from power. The ANC lost its majority during the 2024 general elections for the first time in 30 years. The MK Party, which was formed in December 2024, emerged as the official opposition after clinching the third highest number of votes despite being a relatively new political party.

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Soon after the elections, Shivambu left the Economic Freedom Fighters to join the MK Party in June 2024. Malema initially welcomed Shivambu's decision, but later slammed Shivambu. He pledged to remove all traces of Shivambu's influence in the party.

Members of the EFF including former public protector Busi Mkhwebane and Advocate Dali Mpofu resigned from the Red Berets and joined the MK Party. One of the EFF's founding members, Alfred Motsi, ditched the EFF and also joined the MK Party.

What did South Africans say?

Netizens commenting on TimesLIVE's Facebook post were entertained by Mbalula's controversial statements.

Ntshebele Mmaswi Bapela said:

"It seems like the hospital that is situated in the West of Pretoria is going to be busy this year. Mbaks is adding politicians who should visit the hospital for a few days."

Xolisa Ntlabati said:

"He's poking his nose where it doesn't belong. The ANC has the worst SG who's a gossiper and very reckless with words."

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Sfiso Popoli said:

"He's right. Those who know politics have seen this a long time ago."

Thabang Tshepiso Ledwaba said:

"Zuma and Malema are working together. We are just being dribbled. Floyd was sent there to steady the ship as MK was directionless."

Ntswane Julius Ntsane said:

"Mbalula is always dreaming and likes to live in a fantasy. Instead of focusing on his failing ANC, he is looking at the house of a neighbour."

Floyd Shivambu challenges Malema calling MK Party enemies

In a related article, Briefly News reported that Shivambu recently called Julius Malema out for classifying the MK Party as the EFF's number one enemy.

Shivambu said that the two parties are more ideologically similar than they are different, and called for the two parties to discuss the matter maturely.

Source: Briefly News