Floyd Shivambu
By Thabo Mosia
Johannesburg – In a rare sit-down chat, Afrika Mayibuye Movement leader Floyd Shivambu has opened up about his role in starting the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), claiming he kicked off the party and brought in Julius Malema.
Speaking to Sunday Times deputy editor Mike Siluma on the Politics Weekly podcast, Shivambu traced his path from rural Limpopo to the heart of South African politics. He touched on his fallout with Malema, time in the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, the VBS scandal whispers, and even that meeting with Prophet Shepherd Bushiri. Shivambu stressed his push for “total freedom and emancipation” through Mayibuye, a group he says puts people first, not just votes. This comes as South Africa’s political scene heats up with splits and new outfits, raising questions about unity among progressive forces. With elections on the horizon, Shivambu’s bold takes could shake things up for old allies and rivals alike.
The interview, dropped on 5 October 2025, gives a peek into Shivambu’s mind after his high-profile jumps from the ANC Youth League to EFF, then MK, and now his own movement. He painted himself as a straight-shooter, driven by ideas over egos, and called out what he sees as flaws in the system. As debates rage on social media and beyond, his words add fuel to talks about leadership, corruption, and the fight for real change in a country still grappling with inequality.
Shivambu’s Roots and Rise in Politics
Born and raised in Malamulele village, Limpopo, Shivambu described a simple rural life with no power, shared taps, and little info on the wider world. Yet, he shone at school, getting into leadership roles from grade eight. “I spent my first 18 years in the village there,” he said, before heading to Johannesburg in 2002 for studies at Venda University (now University of Venda).
There, he dove into student politics, reviving the South African Students Congress (SASCO) branch and rising to SRC president. He helped merge student groups into the South African Union of Students, still going strong. By 2007, he was head of policy for the South African Communist Party (SACP) and acting director at the Chris Hani Institute. He criss-crossed the country, teaching politics to unions like the National Union of Mineworkers.
Shivambu earned a BA in political studies, honours in the same, and a master’s in development studies from Venda, plus another master’s from London’s School of Oriental and African Studies. He credits education for sharpening his views, slamming uneducated leaders for lacking real plans. “Political leadership should be about provision of solutions,” he argued, praising China’s meritocracy for lifting millions from poverty.
Claiming Credit for EFF’s Birth
Shivambu dropped a bombshell on the EFF’s start, saying he founded it and roped in Malema. “I started the economic freedom fighters and invited him to be part of,” he stated plainly. He traced this back to 2012 writings, arguing the ANC could not deliver economic freedom due to opportunism. In 2013, he emailed Malema and others about a new outfit; Malema was hesitant at first but came around.
Shivambu said he drafted the EFF’s seven cardinal pillars, founding manifesto, and constitution. He recruited most top leaders, including the current secretary-general. The party grew from 25 seats in 2014 to 44 in 2019, but Shivambu quit over what he called wrongdoing and retreats from core ideas like ending tenders.
This echoes past claims; in a December 2024 speech in Limpopo, he said he “built the EFF from scratch.” Malema has called the split devastating, like losing family, but Shivambu stands firm: “I taken a decision that I’m leaving this thing.”
Fallout with Malema and MK Stint
Shivambu left EFF in August 2024, joining MK as secretary-general, a move he called his best yet for wider exposure. He fixed chaos there, drafting rules and averting disasters, but got booted in June 2025 amid claims he wanted to oust Jacob Zuma. Shivambu denied it, saying some stole funds and ran smears; he charged folks, including Zuma kin.
He said Zuma first offered him presidency, but he joined as a regular member to help. “I was doing MK a favour,” he claimed, using his cash for banners and travel. Shivambu said EFF leaders knew of his MK move but played dumb to Malema. Malema has said EFF is better without him, insisting no bad blood.
On VBS, Shivambu brushed off links, saying reports name his brother Brian, not him. He settled issues but insists it is unrelated. About Bushiri, he visited Malawi in 2019 for a service, defending it as respecting beliefs. “I will never treat any religious belief as illegitimate,” he said, noting the church’s big South African following.
Vision for Afrika Mayibuye Movement
Launched after his MK exit, Mayibuye pushes “total freedom and emancipation now” – political, economic, cultural. It is a movement, not just a party, tackling issues immediately, not waiting for votes. Shivambu consulted nationwide for 60 days, getting a mandate to form it.
The manifesto calls for a developmental state like China, ending tenders, and boosting intra-African trade. On borders, it opposes undocumented migration but backs continent-wide growth to curb economic flight. Foreign policy is pan-Africanist, anti-imperialist, backing Palestine and Sahel states.
Funding comes from members via mutual benefits, not donors or tenders. Shivambu rejects white capital like Oppenheimers, aiming for self-sustaining models. Programmes like Mayibuye Medics offer health care now, and school guidance helps youth.
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