Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, the EFF Member of Parliament who has faced significant criticism and even public rebuke from party leader Julius Malema, has unexpectedly come to Malema’s defence following a recent article in the Sunday Times.
Ndlozi's staunch defence of Malema, expressed in a post on X (formerly Twitter), directly contradicts recent reports suggesting a strained relationship between the two. He vehemently rejected the Sunday Times' assessment, instead declaring the African National Congress (ANC) the real loser of the year. “Despicable! ANC is the LOSER of the year! Even they know that! ANC dropped by 17 points. ANC lost three of eight provinces they controlled!” Ndlozi declared.
This public show of support is particularly striking given Ndlozi’s recent absence from the public eye and his reported exclusion from EFF activities, including the party’s National People’s Assembly last week. Reports suggest Malema even instructed other EFF leaders not to respond to questions about Ndlozi from reporters. Ndlozi's current role within the EFF is limited to his position as a Member of Parliament; he holds no significant leadership position within the party. His public pronouncements have largely been confined to X since the departure of former EFF deputy president, Floyd Shivambu, to the Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) party. Even after facing criticism from Malema on several public platforms, Ndlozi extended festive greetings to the new EFF leadership, wishing them a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
The situation has prompted speculation about Ndlozi's future within the EFF. Professor Ntsikelelo Breakfast, a political analyst from Nelson Mandela University (NMU), told The Citizen that Ndlozi appears to be in a difficult position. Breakfast described Ndlozi as an intelligent individual carefully calculating his next move, suggesting that contact from within the MK party might be a factor. “I am sure there have been people in the MK that have contacted him. It is difficult to see how this will go,” Breakfast commented.
Breakfast further observed that the relationship between Malema and Ndlozi appears irrevocably broken. “Malema and his crew don’t want the guy. I think he is leaving soon because he is not wanted,” he stated.
Ndlozi’s recent X post also included a sharp rebuke of the media's coverage of the EFF's setbacks. He accused the Sunday Times of biased reporting, stating: “This is the historic loss an honest journalistic paper will record. But no, you choose to be petty, personal and decidedly biased. The public benefits nothing from so degenerate an analysis, with a self-stupefaction of idiotic proportions,” he said.
