Floyd Shivambu and the president of the EFF Students’ Command (EFFSC), Sihle Lonzi, have engaged in a heated exchange after Lonzi criticised Shivambu on social media, accusing him of betraying the principles of the EFF.
Story Summary:
- Floyd Shivambu and EFFSC President Sihle Lonzi had a heated exchange over WhatsApp.
- The conflict began after Lonzi criticised Shivambu on social media.
- Shivambu’s relationship with EFF leader Julius Malema has also deteriorated.
Shivambu and EFFSC president get into heated spat
The friction between Shivambu and Lonzi became public after the youth leader took to social media, where he accused Shivambu of abandoning the revolutionary ideals of the EFF.
In a strongly-worded tweet, Lonzi described Shivambu’s actions as “cowardice, intellectual dishonesty, and political bankruptcy.”
The tweet ignited a war of words between the two, which later spilt over into a series of WhatsApp messages that have since been leaked.
In the leaked WhatsApp conversation, Shivambu confronts Lonzi, advising him to stop making what he described as “foolish posts.”
Lonzi responded by asserting his commitment to the EFF and warning Shivambu that he would make the messages public if Shivambu continued to threaten him.
The exchange quickly became personal, with both leaders accusing each other of incompetence and betrayal.
Lonzi claimed that Shivambu had undermined his role within the EFFSC, while Shivambu dismissed Lonzi’s achievements, labelling him a “liberal” and a “sellout.”
Lonzi’s initial tweet was the catalyst for the conflict, where he equated Shivambu’s departure from the EFF to a betrayal of the revolution.
The once-close relationship between Shivambu and Julius Malema has deteriorated significantly.
Shivambu’s recent resignation from the EFF and subsequent move to the MK Party marked the end of their alliance.
Although the split was initially handled with apparent respect, the situation has rapidly escalated.
Malema has since made it clear that Shivambu will not be welcomed back into the EFF and has begun dismantling Shivambu’s influence within the party.
This public fallout between the two leaders has sparked widespread speculation about the future of both the EFF and Shivambu’s political career.
