Shivambu still at odds with MK leadership over visit to fugitive pastor Shepherd Bushiri

A month after his controversial visit to fugitive pastor Shepherd Bushiri’s church in Malawi, uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party Secretary-General Floyd Shivambu says the trip to Malawi was approved by party president Jacob Zuma, despite the party denouncing the visit to Bushiri as having been taken on Shivambu’s own accord and not sanctioned by MK leadership.

Shivambu visited Bushiri’s Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) church over the Easter weekend in April, a move that drew widespread criticism for appearing to embolden those who believe they can evade accountability.

On Wednesday, 28 May, the SABC’s political editor, Mzwandile Mbeje,  asked Shivambu why he had visited a fugitive wanted by the South African authorities. Shivambu replied that on 21 March, after he and Zuma attended the inauguration of Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, “we were sitting with former president Joyce Banda of Malawi. And we were also sitting with the incumbent Deputy President, Michael Usi of Malawi … and President Zuma said that we must make follow-up on the discussions that were raised.”

Shivambu said he went to Malawi in accordance with Zuma’s wishes and visited Banda.

“After that, I went to see Prophet Shepherd Bushiri to have broad discussions. I know him. We used to have interactions when he was here in South Africa, and then he said, ‘I am going to a church service later on, let’s go.’ Who am I to refuse to go to a church?”

Mbeje questioned him about a statement the MK party released distancing itself from his meeting with Bushiri. The statement said Shivambu undertook the visit in his personal capacity and without the mandate or knowledge of the MK party.

Shivambu said on Wednesday, “I think the unfortunate statement was out of the misunderstanding of what got to transpire in terms of the visit itself.”

Read more: Shivambu under fire after visit to fugitive ‘prophet’ Shepherd Bushiri in Malawi

‘We stand by the statement’

MK party national spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela, however, told Daily Maverick on Thursday that the party stood by the statement, which was sanctioned by the party’s presidency and released several hours after videos and images of Shivambu at the church began circulating on social media.

He said Zuma’s office would have corrected the statement if there had been a misunderstanding.

“We do not just issue statements. They go through checks and balances first. If we didn’t stand by the statement, the president would have released a statement by now to say it was not true. Have you seen a statement from the office of the president? Have you seen the party retract any statements?” said Ndhlela.

Probed further, Ndhlela said he had reached out to Shivambu: “I have asked the SG to clarify where the misunderstanding was. As a leader of the organisation, this concerns me, because to protect the organisation, we have to be honest with our people.”

Shivambu declined Daily Maverick’s request to comment further on the issue.

Defending Bushiri

Bushiri fled South Africa in 2020 while facing charges that included rape and fraud. His and his wife’s departure from South Africa was described as a direct violation of their bail conditions and prompted an official extradition request to the Malawian government.

The request was subsequently delivered at the office of the Attorney-General in Malawi on 5 December 2020. The South African government has since been attempting to extradite the pair through a complicated legal process.

In March 2025, a Malawian court ruled that the Bushiris could be extradited to South Africa, but they were expected to appeal the decision.

Read more: SA government welcomes Malawi ruling that Bushiris be extradited to face trial

Shivambu defended himself saying: “I am not a law enforcement agency, one; but two, factually, there is no court ruling in Malawi which South Africa has been pursuing to declare or characterise Bushiri as a fugitive. If there was such, the Malawian government would have handed him over.”

At the time of visiting the church, Bushiri welcomed Shivambu as a businessman, politician and family man, announcing his presence and support for African affairs.

“Sadly, some still peddle jealousy and negativity, labelling successful black individuals as ‘corrupt’ and ‘must be investigated’, while praising white individuals as ‘investors’. That’s not pan-Africanism; that’s jealousy. Let’s move beyond politics of attrition,” said Bushiri.

Internal division

Shivambu’s future in the MK party appears to be somewhat bleak. When he joined the party in August 2024, there was huge opposition from those who had founded or joined before his defection from the EFF.

One his harshest critics is Zuma’s daughter Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, who is said to be part of a faction that believes that high-profile members who came from the EFF and ANC and were parachuted into senior positions, including Shivambu, Dali Mpofu, Mzwanele Manyi and Willies Mchunu, are destroying what the “December 2023 crew” had started.

In February, Zuma-Sambudla went on a rant on X, making negative remarks and insulting Shivambu with comments that he was “the worst thing that happened to MK”, “useless”, and calling him “Mafikizolo”, which loosely translates to “newcomer”.

Zuma’s office instructed her to apologise or face expulsion from the party and she apologised.

Read more: MK divisions — Duduzile Zuma offers partial apology after outburst against Floyd Shivambu

The same faction has criticised Shivambu’s leadership style, highlighting his removal of regional and subregional leaders, his takeover of finances, and his decision to strictly monitor access to Zuma — a move he defended as a characteristic “of all self-respecting organisations”.

In March, Daily Maverick reported that Mxolisi Mthethwa, the party’s Zululand coordinator, had raised concerns about Shivambu’s leadership, citing poor decision-making, lack of consultation and abuse of power.

In a formal letter, he called for an investigation and possible disciplinary action, including removing Shivambu from office. However, Magasela Mzobe, the party’s head of presidency, defended Shivambu, saying: “The president and the collective leadership of the MK party have full confidence in the secretary-general and the president has no intention of removing him.” DM