Floyd Shivambu says Mayibuye Movement aims for 2026 majority wins: “We’re here to stay”

‘We’re Not Here to Play Politics’, Floyd Shivambu’s New Mayibuye Movement Sets Sights on 2026 Majority Wins

Soweto – heat, music, politics and ambition. That was the atmosphere as Floyd Shivambu stood before supporters on Sunday, closing the Afrika Mayibuye Movement’s first-ever National Convention with a bold promise many didn’t expect to hear so soon:
“We’re here to win, outright.”

Shivambu, once firebrand Deputy President of the EFF and briefly a member of the MK Party, now leads a fresh political outfit aiming to shake up South Africa’s local government landscape. The party has rebuilt and sharpened its leadership structure after several high-profile exits and the message from its convention was clear: Mayibuye plans to contest the 2026 municipal elections for power, not just participation.

No coalition fantasies. No backseat politics. They want majorities.

A new movement, a new pitch, dignity, liberation, and action

Speaking at the close of the three-day convention held from 5–7 December 2025 in Soweto, Shivambu positioned Mayibuye as a 21st-century liberation movement rooted in restoring dignity to Black and African communities.

“We reaffirm the dignity of African people. We are here to liberate our people,” he said, emphasising that old political formations have “no capacity or willingness to change lives.”

It’s a sentiment many South Africans may relate to. Load shedding, municipal failures, water shortages, unemployment the frustration is personal. And Shivambu is tapping into that disillusionment, especially with turnout numbers from the 2024 general election still haunting the country:
Only 16 million of 42 million eligible adults voted.

For Shivambu, that silence wasn’t apathy. It was a message.

“That was a vote of no confidence,” he argued. “We exist to re-inspire hope and give people direction.”

Soup kitchens, water trucks and old-age home help, not just campaign slogans

Where most parties promise change after voting day, Mayibuye is framing itself as hands-on now.

The movement says its local structures must produce practical programmes of action, not just policy papers. Water provision, food initiatives, old-age home support, small steps, but visible ones. A political strategy long used by township-based movements before elections: deliver first, ask later.

Supporters online have responded with cautious optimism many praising the grassroots approach, others reminding Shivambu of his fiery EFF past. Twitter/X reactions have ranged from hopeful to sceptical:

“If he helps our communities now, maybe we listen later.”
“Another party? We need results, not speeches.”

And somewhere in between:

“Shivambu must show he’s different from what we’ve already seen.”

From EFF to MK to Mayibuye, a turbulent political journey

Shivambu’s political path has been anything but flat.

• Co-founded the EFF in 2013

• Served as Deputy President

• Left to join the MK Party in August 2024

• Expelled less than a year later after internal fallout

• Exclusion from MK’s parliamentary list despite Zuma’s promises

• Launched the Afrika Mayibuye Movement

His MK exit was messy, from internal opposition to controversy around a church visit in Malawi led by fugitive Shepherd Bushiri. The split was public. The comeback, bold.

Launching Mayibuye was his reset button and he’s pulling no punches.

Aiming for majorities, but ready for humble dialogue

Mayibuye will contest the 2026 local government elections with one central goal: outright majorities nationwide.
But Shivambu says if results fall short, the party will negotiate “responsibly and transparently”, without what he described as tender-driven coalition corruption.

“Some leaders extort money, R10 million for government positions. We won’t do that,” he claimed.

A sharp line in the sand, one many voters may want to see tested.

Can Mayibuye really break through in 2026?

South Africa’s political ground is shifting, ANC decline, DA ambition, MK’s rise, EFF reconfiguring. Voters are drifting, searching, hesitating. The space for new movements is there, but translating rallies into votes is the real mountain.

Mayibuye is young. Hungry. Confident.
But 2026 will require more than hope, it will require numbers, structures and staying power.

For now, though, Shivambu’s message is simple:

“We’re here to stay. And we plan to win.”

{Source: IOL}

Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter , TikTok and Instagram

For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com