The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) has announced changes to its executive, with the much-anticipated appointment of former Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) deputy president Floyd Shivambu as its new national organiser.

The party announced its 18-member national high command structure, on Thursday.

Last week, Shivambu submitted his resignation letter to EFF president Julius Malema.

Former Police Minister and African National Congress member Nathi Nhleko was previously MKP’s national organiser ahead of the 2024 national and provincial elections.

Nhleko is now the party’s national chairperson. Jacob Zuma remains the president and John Hlophe his deputy.

Last month, the party also announced changes to its secretary and treasurer positions, appointing Menzi Magubane and Dr Sifiso Maseko respectively.

Hlophe pointed out that Shivambu’s appointment had nothing to do with "destroying the EFF".

“…far from it. Comrade Floyd, and all our comrades, are deplored (sic) to various structures on merit, there is nobody who is deplored (sic) because we want to destroy the EFF, as a party. We are running our own political programmes as the uMkhonto weSizwe Party, regardless of the EFF’s position on any issue,” he said.

He described Shivambu as an experienced politician, "sharp like a razor" and said he had no doubt that Shivambu would play an important role in the MKP.

Shivambu said at the briefing that he did not join the MKP for opportunistic purposes, rather that he made a "correct and revolutionary decision", to join the MKP. 

He wanted to unite "progressive forces" for a common agenda, saying the notion of small "unviable" political parties was not stainable for the future of black people in South Africa.

“…it is not stainable at all. The temptation as well – I am not characterising the EFF – is that you have multiple of these, they end up being fiefdoms of individuals, an IFP, UDM kind of arrangement. What is to achieve with that when all of us can set aside our very strong egos and say I do not have to be a Member of Parliament, a deputy president, I can come and be led by a collective and be subjected. 

He said this was the principle he joined the MKP for.  

He said to "avoid confusion", he and Zuma spoke about the unification of all progressive parties last year, before the official announcement of the MKP.

“…and I was amongst those who said that let us go and contest elections and separate political parties. We will contest each other on the ground but we will come back to talk about what do we do moving forward,” Shivambu said. 

He said the attempt for unification was not an opportunistic one owing to the electoral decline of the EFF, rather he believed there was a genuine political discussion, which he said all South Africans must enter.

“Some people will say 'you are betraying me'; where does that enter? You are not suggesting I am betraying the revolution, I will never betray the revolution, because we are not in a business of trying to please each other's egos here," he stated. 

He said he was in the business of building a revolutionary movement that was going to emancipate the black majority and Africans in particular. He noted a question he was asked was what he would do if he was removed from his position, as leadership positions in the MKP "change weekly". 

“If I am removed as a national organiser, I am going to be a member, and if I am removed as a member I am going to be a volunteer and put posters even without the approval of the leadership,” he quipped. 

On Monday, Malema warned those who he said betrayed him and those "covertly collaborating with his enemies" that "there [was] no place for them" in his party.