Jacob Zuma Foundation spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi has found a new political home in the EFF.
In a statement on Friday, Manyi confirmed that he has dumped the African Transformation Movement (ATM), saying he sees the red berets as the country’s last hope. Manyi, who has had his share of political roaming, joined the ATM in 2019 after leaving the ANC.
It was reported at the time that Manyi had initially considered forming his own political party but instead opted to join the ATM with an objective of bringing together various radical economic transformation organisations.
Stating his reasons for his departure from the ATM, Manyi said there is no bad blood between himself and the party’s leadership, noting that he left the organisation peacefully.
However, he mentioned that he is joining Julius Malema’s party as a rank-and-file member with the hope to build a bridge between the ATM and EFF for future collaboration.
He noted that he believes the EFF is the best option for South Africa, as it has a revolutionary posture, a demonstrable track record on accountability, and listens to the electorate before drawing up a manifesto.
“South Africa is fast deteriorating into a failed state. It, therefore, needs a shock treatment from an organisation whose posture is revolutionary,” he said.
“The EFF, being the third-largest party in South Africa, is well poised to take over from the ANC quicker than any other party. The EFF is the real alternative that everyone has been asking about.
“It has scale and demonstrable track record on accountability issues. Importantly, it is a listening party that genuinely engages the electorate before drawing up a manifesto.”
He further said he is impressed with the red beret’s “no-nonsense” approach to tackling corruption and poor service delivery, citing the organisation’s successful campaigns including a march to Eskom in February 2020 and the nationwide shutdown in March 2023, which he said align with his personal convictions.
He asserted that South Africa cannot afford to have a government that supports neo-colonialism and must become a sovereign nation as outlined in the constitution.
“The rampant corruption at all levels of government needs to be stopped dead on its tracks and decisive actions against perpetrators must be taken.
“Various successful campaigns of the EFF including a march to Eskom in February 2020, the national shutdown in March 2023, and cleaning campaigns to mention but a few, have illustrated to me a no-nonsense party when it comes to malfeasance and poor service delivery.
“These strides by the EFF found resonance with my personal convictions on what needs to be done,” Manyi said.
Manyi believes that the EFF’s seven cardinal pillars provide a clear roadmap and certainty on macro policies and agrees with the majority of the party’s stance, saying any disagreements he has had with the red berets are outweighed by their shared views.
“The top leadership of the EFF are reasonable people, some of whom I’ve worked with over the years, long before the EFF was even conceived, so I know that we shall find common ground and move on in a united manner,” he said.
Welcoming Manyi to the party, Malema said: “On behalf of our [the EFF] ground forces, I want to take this opportunity to welcome fighter Mzwanele Manyi to his political home.
“We are honoured to have you as part of our family; remember, we are one people of the African continent.
“Your credentials speak volumes, and we are more than confident that you will make a massive contribution to the success of the struggle for economic freedom in our lifetime.”
To read more political news and views, click here.
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa.
