EFF leader Julius Malema has dismissed the shock departure of his former party’s Chair Adv Dali Mpofu as inconsequential. Malema was responding to the latest jumping of ship by a prominent member of the EFF: “You can’t destroy that which you never built,” Malema said whilst attending the inauguration of the new Botswana President Duma Boko.
In a move that has sent shockwaves through South Africa’s political landscape, Mpofu announced this week that he was joining Umkhonto we Sizwe Party (MKP), the party founded by former President Jacob Zuma. Mpofu is also a long-time legal representative of the former President and the MKP. Mpofu triggered a wave of mixed reactions across the country as his defection to the MKP come in the heels of a few high-profile ones. They include the founding party leader Floyd Shivambu and impeached former Public Protector Adv Busisiwe Mkhwebane, among others.
While some people laud Mpofu’s decision as a bold step towards revitalizing the MKP, critics have raised questions about his motivations, particularly in light of his involvement in high-profile legal battles. Some see his move as a strategic play ahead of the upcoming local government elections in 2026. Others view it as a genuine commitment to the struggle for social justice.
As South Africa grapples with rising inequality and political wrangling, Mpofu’s decision is likely to be a key point of contention in the times ahead. Whatever may come, EFF leader Malema appears unfazed by the unceremonial departure of his one-time close allies. Unlike Shivambu, who co-founded the EFF with Malema, some of the defectors had come to the EFF with nothing and as Malema would have it – left with nothing.
