Controversial sangoma Dr Khehlelezi has accused Floyd Shivambu of being an EFF spy, claiming that he was deployed by party leader Julius Malema to infiltrate and divide the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) as retaliation for lost votes in the 2024 elections.
The flamboyant traditional healer, whose real name is Bhongolethu Mzozo, has more than 800 000 followers on Facebook.
He alleges that Shivambu’s brief stint as MKP secretary-general was a calculated political ploy, executed with Malema’s blessing, to hijack the heart of Jacob Zuma’s new movement from within.
In a social media video released on Wednesday night, Dr Khehlelezi tore into Shivambu’s motives, declaring him a double agent who came dressed as a comrade but left behind confusion, debt, and distrust.
Malema and Shivambu are still brothers
On Thursday, following Shivambu’s press briefing, Dr Khehlelezi stood by his claims, telling Sunday World that the press conference was merely a smokescreen.
“I stand by what I said in the video. These guys have learnt politics, and Floyd learnt more from the true masters when he joined MK, as he admitted during his press briefing today,” he said.
“He was our student — and he has now graduated to go and open his preschool.”
In the original video, Dr Khehlelezi stated that Shivambu could no longer return to the EFF and was secretly laying the groundwork for a new political formation with Malema.
“Floyd and Julius Malema have never lost their friendship. They started the EFF together and have been brothers for decades.
“Even now, they are still brothers. Before MK arrived, the EFF was the party to watch — always trending and in the news.
“But MK landed and left the EFF eating dust. So they sat down and said, ‘let’s go and find our people there at the MK Party.’ They are masters.”
In 2024, Dr Khehlelezi, who is a close spiritual ally of Zuma, gained attention for performing a ritual intended to ‘bewitch the ANC’ and cause them to lose votes to MKP.
His influence was recently reaffirmed when Zuma attended a family funeral in his honour and praised his leadership.
Shivambu blamed for financial woes
He claimed Shivambu’s rise to the MKP secretary-general post was not organic.
“When Floyd arrived, they had agreed: ‘humble yourself and accept any position — even as a doormat; just say you come as a member.’
“He became a leader and manipulated the constitution to favour himself. That’s when Duduzile [Zuma-Sambudla] defied his tactics alongside other MPs.”
Dr Khehlelezi said the MKP’s financial troubles were a result of Shivambu’s unofficial control over party funds, as the party has no official treasurer-general.
“The MKP went deep into debt. People don’t know. The aim was to win hearts and hand over power. He and Malema were on a mission,” he claimed.
He cited Malema’s past comments that defectors cannot return to the EFF but would make an exception for Shivambu as evidence of an ongoing arrangement between the two.
“That moment was not a blunder. It was a signal,” he said, accusing Shivambu of building a strong faction loyal to him within MKP.
“Eight out of 10 members in MKP detachments are his people. If you say you’re not one, maybe you’re part of the two he didn’t win. They’re infiltrators. Floyd is starting a new political party — not alone; it belongs to him and Malema.”
Briefing not sanction by MKP
Calling for an urgent reset, Dr Khehlelezi urged Zuma to disband all MKP structures and start afresh.
“All structures must be disbanded; we don’t care if you’re honest or not. We must start from a clean slate. We don’t know who’s working for the movement and who’s working against it.
“Floyd is scared to go back to the EFF because some ground forces won’t understand the game. But Malema understands it well. As gifted people, we see what others don’t.”
In the meantime, the MKP disassociated itself from Shivambu’s Thursday briefing, even though it took place under its colours.
“The party did not sanction this briefing; we are not part of it,” MKP spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndlela told Sunday World on Wednesday.
“He remains a member of the party, but his decision to call a press conference without official approval is a violation of internal protocol.”
True to Zuma’s defiant stance against the ANC constitution, Shivambu shocked many on Thursday when he stated that he would not resign from the MKP, even while toying with the idea of launching a new political party.
Allegations of witchcraft
Starting off the briefing, he claimed his removal as the MKP secretary-general was rooted in allegations of witchcraft sparked by an intelligence report submitted to Zuma after his Easter visit to fugitive pastor Shepherd Bushiri in Malawi.
“It is alleged that despite raising money to remove president Zuma, I’m also accumulating supernatural powers to make people disappear,” said Shivambu.
“That is why we had to be removed. There’s apparently a hat I was meant to give someone — and some people were going to die so that I could become the president of uMkhonto weSizwe.”
We have sent media enquiries about the spy allegations to Shivambu and EFF national spokesperson Sinawo Thambo. We will incorporate their responses as soon as we receive them.
