Drama in Floyd Shivambu’s new party

Just over a month since officially launching as a political party, Floyd Shivambu’s Afrika Mayibuye Movement has fired its first deputy president, Dr. Nolubabalo Mcinga.

Citing allegations of organisational and political misconduct, the decision, described as permanent, was made unanimously by officials to “protect and defend the integrity of the organisation against infiltration and abuse of office for personal gain.”

The former ANCYL spokesperson, EFF deputy president, and MK Party secretary general launched Afrika Mayibuye shortly after being expelled from former President Jacob Zuma’s MK Party.

A businesswoman, author and philanthropist, Mcinga is the sixth wife of AbuThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo. 

She is a former Member of Parliament for Shivambu’s former affiliation, the EFF, before resigning in November 2024.

Of the breaches cited includes allegedly holding unauthorised meetings with Zuma without organisational approval.

This included discussions reportedly involving “US$500 billion in direct investments to establish Black Dollar Billionaires.”

The National Officials said Mcinga’s actions, including the alleged solicitation of a media company to defame the leadership, were in direct contravention of organisational directives.

The officials also firmly rejected claims that Mcinga was promised a salary, VIP protection, or other material benefits for participating in the Movement’s Consultation Process.

“All leaders in a formative organisation such as ours do not join with expectations of remuneration or special privileges,” the statement read.

While Mcinga has been stripped of her leadership role, she retains full membership rights within the Movement, the officials confirmed.

Disciplinary proceedings are set to be instituted against her, with other allegations including:

• Inflating and falsifying financial figures relating to accommodation, logistics, and engagements during the Eastern Cape Consultation Process.
• Making commitments on behalf of the Movement without authority, including meetings with provincial leaders and volunteers.
• Circulating confidential internal communications and disseminating false or misleading information.
• Engaging in defamation, malicious gossip, and attempts to undermine the leadership via media channels.
• Representing herself as a Movement spokesperson without mandate.

The Movement’s internal prosecutors are expected to review all the alleged violations as part of an ongoing disciplinary inquiry.

Afrika Mayibuye’s spokesperson, Sydney Baloyi, recently confirmed with Newsday that there were internal issues between Mcinga and national officials.

Several social media posts speculate that Mcinga wanted to leave the party to start her own women-centred movement, citing “power tensions” and “tribalism” as key issues in Shivambu’s party.

Mcinga has not publicly confirmed the tensions or her intentions to leave the party. However, on 16 October, as rumours unfolded, Mcinga posted on X (formerly Twitter):

“In politics, there are no permanent friends, and no permanent enemies.”

She also denied claims that she had received a car from an opposition party to “spy” on Mayibuye.

The Mayibuye Movement

Mcinga’s departure from the EFF in November 2024 closely followed that of Afrika Mayibuye’s leader. Shivambu left the EFF to join the MK Party a few months prior. 

Shivambu has had many political homes in the past. After starting his political career in the ANCYL, he formed the EFF alongside current leader Julius Malema and served as its deputy president. 

When he left to join the MK party, he took on the position of secretary general. However, Shivambu was fired from this position by party leader Zuma in June 2025. 

The party attributed this to Shivambu’s controversial trip to Malawi to attend an Easter service at pastor Shepherd Bushiri’s church, a man previously arrested and charged for fraud in South Africa in 2020. 

The party said this unauthorised trip, as well as accusations of abuse of office, leaking confidential information and fanning factionalism, led to his removal.

However, in a recent interview with the Sunday Times, Shivambu said he was removed because Zuma was threatened by his popularity in the party, and feared he might replace him as leader. 

In starting the Afrika Mayibuye Movement, Shivambu said the party is a “unique, revolutionary response to all South Africans who lost faith in politics.”

“This was reflected in the 2024 elections, where only 39.7% of the voting-age population participated, compared to 89% turnout in 1994.”

He added that the ANC has dismally failed to deliver a better life for all and there are “no liberation alternatives to the ANC’s decline.”

Shivambu said the party would be a “family project” and would become “the most successful political organisation in South Africa.”