By Mohamed Ghani
Johannesburg, South Africa – The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party has removed Floyd Shivambu from his position as secretary-general, just six months after he took on the role. The dismissal stems from Shivambu’s controversial visit to self-proclaimed Malawian pastor Shepherd Bushiri in April.
Bushiri, once a prominent preacher in southern Africa, fled to his home country in 2020 after being arrested in South Africa and charged with fraud. South Africa has since been seeking his extradition. Bushiri, along with his wife Mary, deny any wrongdoing and are currently challenging the extradition ruling in court.
The MK party, founded by former President Jacob Zuma, announced Shivambu’s removal at a press conference on Wednesday. National Chair Nathi Nhleko stated that Shivambu’s actions “were found to be against the spirit and prescripts of the MK party’s constitution,” adding that his trip to Bushiri’s Easter service was “not an officially sanctioned programme of the organization.”
Despite his removal from the secretary-general position, Shivambu remains a member of the MK party and will now represent the party in the National Assembly. He has publicly accepted the party’s decision and expressed his enthusiasm for his new role in parliament.
Shivambu’s visit to Bushiri’s Jesus Nation church in Malawi sparked public criticism after he reposted a video on X showing Bushiri welcoming him and praising the pastor for his “good work.” Bushiri, a millionaire accused of exploiting vulnerable people through the sale of “miracle oil” and other merchandise, has faced allegations of fraud, rape, and making false claims of miraculous cures.
Sanet Solomon, an analyst at South Africa’s University of the Free State, called Shivambu’s removal “expected” due to the negative publicity generated by the visit. However, she also raised concerns about the party’s stability, noting that Shivambu’s dismissal marks the sixth secretary-general change within the MK party’s brief existence.
“His removal does, however, raise questions and concerns around leadership retention and succession planning… These changes further exacerbate concerns around the party’s stability,” Solomon told the BBC. She also cited Shivambu’s “leadership style” and “tension with other party leaders” as contributing factors to his downfall.
Internal conflict within the MK party, including a public spat between Shivambu and Zuma’s daughter, Duduzile, has further fueled speculation about potential instability. Solomon even suggested that Shivambu may soon announce his departure from the party.
The MK party, under Zuma’s leadership, garnered significant support in last year’s elections, contributing to the ANC losing its majority for the first time since 1994. The future stability of the party remains uncertain as it navigates internal conflicts and leadership challenges.
