Floyd Shivambu’s aspirations of forming a new leftist political party have received a major boost in KwaZulu-Natal, with former EFF provincial chairperson Vusi Khoza giving his his backing.

Khoza, who associated himself with former president Jacob Zuma’s MKP in last year’s general elections, has shown a keen interest in Shivambu’s public consultation drive, confirming that he would participate in the consultative process, ‘Mayibuye’, announced by Shivambu last week.

Khoza said there is a need for a new political party in South Africa ‘that will truly represent people’s interests not, the ones currently claiming to do so, but doing the opposite’. He has already signed up as Mayibuye volunteer team member, heeding Shivambu’s call for public members to volunteer their time in organising public consultative forums. The team is currently circulating a form to be filled by members of the public who have an interest in the formation of the party.

“We are waiting for him to come down here. I am one of the people who will go and listen to him. There is a space for a new political party in the country because the ones we have are not serving the needs of the people. I will listen to him and if he makes sense, I will encourage him to form the party and (I will) be part of it,” said Khoza.

He described Shivambu as the best Secretary-General the MKP has had, saying the party will regret losing such a leader who brought both financial and political stability to the party.

Khoza became the EFF provincial chairperson in 2017 when the party had two seats and increased its seats in the legislature to eight by 2019. In 2022 he lost his chairmanship to his deputy Mongezi Twala. He was subsequently moved to national parliament, however, he was fired by the party for failing to bring 10 buses to the party’s 10th anniversary in 2023.

Last week, Shivambu, following his expulsion from his MKP Secretary-General position, announced his intention to form a new political movement and stated that he would tour the provinces listening to the people on whether they wanted to start a new party or not.

When the party sacked him from his position, it cited his unsanctioned visit to Malawi during the Easter holidays, where he met the fugitive prophet Shepherd Bushiri who skipped bail and fled to his native country in 2020.

However, Shivambu said the real reason for his axing was that he was accused of plotting to overthrow Zuma and take over the MKP.

willem.phungula@inl.co.za

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