“The End of the Road?” Floyd Shivambu Called a ‘Total Failure’ Amid MK Party Fallout

Once seen as a rising star in South African politics, Shivambu’s fall sparks debate over leadership, loyalty and charisma

Floyd Shivambu’s political career has taken a sharp and very public nosedive. Once deputy president of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and more recently secretary-general of Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, Shivambu now finds himself out in the cold—dumped from party leadership, snubbed from the parliamentary list, and branded a “total failure” by political analysts.

The scathing takedown came courtesy of columnist and political commentator Bhekisisa Mncube, who didn’t mince words in an interview with Newzroom Afrika. “Fraud Shivambu,” he said, using a nickname that’s surfaced in some political circles “is a total failure as a politician.”

Columnist Bhekisisa Mncube says Floyd Shivambu has been “a total failure as a politician,” claiming he has squandered leadership opportunities. #Newzroom405

Watch: https://t.co/flSfwgArI7 pic.twitter.com/pCnpY9MX9e

— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) June 22, 2025

From EFF to MK: A Move Doomed from the Start?

Shivambu shocked political observers earlier this year when he abruptly parted ways with Julius Malema and the EFF, a party he helped shape from the ground up, to join Zuma’s MK party—an organisation Mncube describes as being “held together by mixtape.”

It was a high-risk gamble in an already crowded political arena, and according to Mncube, it was destined to fail. “We all knew this was the beginning and the end of Shivambu’s political career,” he said, pointing to the MK party’s unstable internal dynamics and its over-reliance on Zuma’s personality cult.

Shivambu’s removal from the MK secretary-general role earlier this month was the first red flag. His name missing from the parliamentary list confirmed what many suspected—his influence within the party had collapsed.

Lack of Charisma or Strategy?

Mncube didn’t stop at questioning Shivambu’s strategic decisions. He went straight for the jugular: “He lacks charisma something that’s taken for granted in politics.”

It’s a brutal assessment, especially for someone who once served as the EFF’s sharp-tongued spokesperson and firebrand deputy. In the eyes of critics, however, charisma isn’t just about soundbites or confidence, it’s about galvanizing support and holding a room. And that, they argue, is where Shivambu has fallen short.

Still Standing… For Now

Despite the blow to his reputation, Shivambu isn’t walking away from politics, at least not yet. In a video address on Sunday, he struck a tone of defiance and gratitude, thanking South Africans for the messages of “solidarity and support” following his Thursday press conference.

He dismissed speculation that he might form yet another political party, instead promising to continue consulting “community leaders” about the way forward. “The appetite for a genuine political alternative is strong,” Shivambu said, hinting that he still sees a role for himself in shaping South Africa’s future.

South Africans React: Sympathy or Schadenfreude?

Public reaction to Shivambu’s political troubles has been mixed. On social media, some expressed sympathy, noting that every political leader hits a rough patch. Others mocked his fall from grace, recalling his once-fiery speeches from the EFF benches and contrasting them with his current marginalisation.

One user posted on X, “EFF or MK, Shivambu stays chasing relevance. Turns out loyalty doesn’t pay in either direction.” Another was more blunt: “EFF kicked him, MK ghosted him. Maybe it’s time to hang up the red overalls.”

A Career in Decline or a Pause Before the Pivot?

There’s no doubt Shivambu is at a crossroads. His exit from two major political formations in under a year raises serious questions about his staying power and strategy. But South African politics is nothing if not unpredictable. Recall that Jacob Zuma himself has returned from multiple political exiles, each time reinventing his role.

Whether Shivambu can do the same or whether this marks the final act in a once-promising political journey remains to be seen. For now, though, the verdict from many observers is brutal: this is a man who gambled and lost.

{Source: The Citizen}

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