Floyd Shivambu To Speak After Demotion, Press Conference Sparks Resignation Speculation

• The MK Party's former Secretary-General, Floyd Shivambu, is holding a press conference on 19 June 2025
• This is the first time he's publicly spoken since the MK Party president, Jacob Zuma, removed him from his position
• South Africans speculated that he could be preparing to resign from the party after a turbulent political career in the MK Party

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist based in Johannesburg, South Africa, has covered policy changes, cabinet reshuffles, the State of the Nation Address, Parliamentary Proceedings, and politician-related news, as well as elections, at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News for over seven years.

JOHANNESBURG — Speculation that Floyd Shivambu's future in the MK Party is uncertain was rife on social media. He announced that he would hold a media briefing in Midrand, Ekurhuleni, on 19 June 2025 after he was removed as the party's Secretary-General on 3 June.

Floyd Shivambu to hold press briefing

According to IOL, his spokesperson, Nolubaba Mcinga, confirmed that he is holding the press conference but did not indicate whether the MK Party leadership is aware of the press briefing. However, insiders allege that Shivambu intends to announce his resignation and launch a new political party.

A new political party on the horizon?

Although Mcinga said the press briefing will be in response to the country's various political developments, party sources refuted the reason. One source told IOL that the fact that he appointed a spokesperson proves that the move was long planned.

Shivambu's fall from grace

Shivambu was recently removed from his position as the secretary general after he visited fugitive Shepherd Bushiri on Good Friday. The party said that the visit was unsanctioned and violated its constitution.

Shivambu joined the party after defecting from the Economic Freedom Fighters in August last year. He rose rapidly through the ranks to become the MK Party's secretary-general.

However, he clashed with Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, who insulted him on X. She was ordered to retract her statements and issue a public apology. Mary Phadi, the MK Party's former Mpumalanga convenor, also previously voiced her displeasure with Shivambu's conduct in the party.

What you need to know about Floyd Shivambu in the MK Party

• Shivambu joined the MK Party after he resigned from the Economic Freedom Fighters in August 2024
• He was appointed to the National High Command as the National Convenor shortly after he joined the party
• More than one month later, he was appointed the party's secretary-general, being the seventh secretary-general since the party was formed in 2023
• Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla was forced to apologise after she tweeted insults directed at Shivambu
• Members of the MK Party in Mpumalanga welcomed his removal and accused him of sidelining members aligned to Mary Phadi

What did South Africans say?

Netizens commenting under his tweet on his @FloydShivambu X account weighed in.

View the X tweet here:

P_Max asked:

"So this is the end of your political career?"

Benzito said:

"You're jumping ship again. Just watch out for those KZN nkabis."

EFF MP Carl niehaus said:

"Lol, the farce is not transition into self-destructive and delusional lunacy."

The Tweeting said:

"Ubaba never loses, bro. He knew what he was doing. He brought you in knowing very well it's a humiliation ritual, and you fell for it."

Kane asked:

"What's the name of your new stokvel, EFF Plus?"

Zuma shades ill-disciplined members

In a related article, Briefly News reported that party president Jacob Zuma slammed members he called undisciplined. He spoke during the launch of the party's youth league.

Zuma said that the party fires members who are ill-disciplined, and does not beg members. He said that the MK Party has had seven secretary-generals, a reference to Shivambu, who was recently removed.

Source: Briefly News