Floyd Shivambu unveils Mayibuye consultation process, enlisting former EFF and MK leaders for dialogue

Daily Maverick

6 hours ago

Less than a week after Floyd Shivambu announced he would be consulting various communities about launching a new political party, he announced some familiar names that are taking part. And there were jibes at the MK party, too.
Former members of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party were named among volunteers and leadership for the Mayibuye Consultation Process, with Floyd Shivambu being the convener of the process.
On Friday, 27 June, one week after Shivambu announced he was starting a process to determine if he should launch a new political party, he held a media briefing to announce the names of the individuals who would assist.
They include former EFF MPs Vusi Khoza and Fana Mokoena and former MK party members Patrick Sindane, Menzi Magubane and Bishop Stephen Zondo. The names also included those of ordinary volunteers, union workers, religious leaders and former student leaders from across the country.
Shivambu announced last week that he will consult communities and groups to gauge whether he should launch his own political party to contest the 2026 local government elections.
His announcement came after his reported dismissal from the MK party, a mere 10 ten months after he joined it and was named as its secretary-general. However, Shivambu claimed last week that he is still a member of the MK party, which allows for dual membership.
Shivambu told journalists on Friday that this consultative process will include existing political parties and their members, claiming that members of the Government of National Unity , including the African National Congress and the Democratic Alliance had talks with the consultative forum.
'If other political parties are willing to listen to us, we will also talk to them to appraise them of the process that we are engaged in,' Shivambu said.
He claimed that more than '10 represented political parties that have approached us represented in different municipality councils […] said that they would want to form part of the Mayibuye consultation process, and these parties come from all corners of South Africa'.
Shivambu said one of the reasons for the consultations is that those leading it 'think that the organisations that are supposed to be the fighting instruments on behalf of the oppressed masses of our people are not adequate enough to fight the battles ahead. We don't have confidence in the ANC; we don't have confidence in the MK; we don't have confidence in the EFF; and those are the three biggest black organisations'.
Shivambu has been a member of all three parties.
'We are going […] to listen as to what is to be done, and that will guide us as to what we do moving forward,' he said.
Shivambu took a swipe at President Ramaphosa's planned National Dialogue. 'We are here today to start a process of the real national dialogue as to what is to be done and this national dialogue that we are beginning is not like the highly expensive talk shop, which is convened by the South African government which clearly will have predetermined outcomes.'
Shivambu also took swipes at fellow MK party members.
Earlier on Friday, EWN reported that MK party spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndhlela, is taking legal action against Shivambu, demanding R3-million in damages after Shivambu allegedly accused Ndhlela of drug and alcohol abuse.
Shivambu said that as part of the new consultative process, he had 'benefited' from leadership in terms of how they should handle certain things. 'And part of that guidance is that I must unconditionally retract the statement of drug use and alcohol abuse of Nhlamulo Ndhlela unconditionally, but we take this opportunity to tell the people of South Africa to stay away from drugs and to stay away from alcohol, particularly if they are members of Parliament and members of leadership of different political parties,' he said. DM