Floyd Shivambu Accepts Redeployment for Contravening MK Party Constitution, Excited About New Role

• Floyd Shivambu touched on his decision to visit the controversial pastor Shepherd Bushiri in Malawi
• Shivambu has accepted that his decision was in contravention of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party's constitution
• The former Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) member is eager to take on his new role as a member of the National Assembly
• Political analyst Sanet Solomon spoke exclusively to Briefly News about the decision to redeploy Shivambu

Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.

GAUTENG – Floyd Shivambu remains thankful to the leadership of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party that he had the opportunity to serve as Secretary-General.

Shivambu was stripped of the post on 4 June 2025 and redeployed to Parliament as a Member of the National Assembly.

In a statement released by the party, it said that the decision to remove the former EFF member from the post was made after his unauthorised trip to visit Shepherd Bushiri in Malawi. Shivambu visited the fugitive pastor over the Easter weekend.

Shivambu accepts punishment for Bushiri visit

During a press briefing in Johannesburg after the decision to remove him from the post was announced, Shivambu confirmed that he was redeployed to the National Assembly. He also confirmed that the decision to go to Malawi went against the constitution of the party.

“On behalf of myself and everyone else who is involved, we regret that the decision in terms of the visit to Malawi was not consistent with the constitution of uMkhonto weSizwe as is reflected in the statement,” Shivambu said.

He added that he fully accepts the decision as a disciplined member. He added that he also accepted the new responsibility and would continue to play a role in building the organisation towards the 2026 Local Government Elections and the two-thirds majority that it's targeting in the 2029 National Elections.

Shivambu also thanked the leadership of the party, and especially the president, Jacob Zuma, for continuing to lead the programme of unifying all progressive forces.

You can watch his statement below.

Political analyst weighs in on Shivambu’s removal

Speaking exclusively to Briefly News, Sanet Solomon weighed in on the situation surrounding Shivambu.

The political analyst, who is based in the Department of Political Studies and Governance at the University of the Free State, said it could be argued that his acceptance of contravening their constitution was a last-ditch attempt at saving his political career.

She also noted that his decision to visit Bushiri was unprecedented and rather controversial, given the perceptions of the pastor.

“As a seasoned politician, many would have expected him to avoid these kinds of engagements as they can be detrimental to political careers. Instead of apologising and showing remorse, Shivambu doubled down and justified his visit, which could alienate him from people within the party,” Solomon noted.

She added that while the visit was problematic, it was worth noting that Shivambu had been isolated within the party already, given the critique around his unwillingness to consult with others and his overall leadership style.

Shivambu refuses to apologise for visiting Bushiri

In a related article, Shivambu defended his trip to Malawi to visit Shepherd Bushiri over the Easter weekend.

Briefly News reported that Shivambu stated he informed party leader Zuma of his plans to go to Malawi.

South Africans on social media were divided by Shivambu's comments, with some accusing him of being arrogant

Source: Briefly News