Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF’s) Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi has officially announced his resignation from party politics, briefly noting his interest in making a contribution to the betterment of the country through academia.

Speaking during an SABC interview, Ndlozi pointed out that he had taken a decision to step away from party politics completely.

“I am leaving parties politics, I think I have made my contribution in that space, we do not live in a one-party State, we are not in the camps, we are not burned, politics is a free activity in South Africa and party politics is not the monopoly of making a social contribution,” he said.

Last month, Ndlozi resigned as an MP. He has served in the National Assembly since 2014.

He highlighted his interest in contributing in academia and a passion for the upliftment of the level of discourse in the country.

“…but most importantly, I think the terrain of struggle that has been neglected over the years is the civil society space, and that civil society space I am interested in it because it is where you are able to cultivate and agitate the notions of freedom where liberation is about the people, the people liberate themselves and community development, research, advocacy,” he explained.

He said it was time someone did for the people of this country, what AfriForum undertook for the Afrikaner community.

“I think that is the civil society space that one is having a conversation and thinking about. I am saying that party politics do not monopolise the contribution to social change and I have taken a decision to step out,” he said.

ALLEGATIONS

Ndlozi has also broken his silence on allegations levelled against him by the EFF’s leadership, explaining that he could not attend the EFF National People’s Assembly over a dispute over his suspension.

He noted that he was suspended about six weeks before the conference, and said the suspension was unconventional, claiming that it did not rely on the EFF’s code of conduct.

“…but largely the suspension rested on two counts. On the one hand the leadership said that it’s in possession of an intelligence report in which they claim that I am part of the infiltration strategy by the MKP, I am working with the MKP, that I am planning to go join them, that I am waiting for some opportune moment. The second one largely rested on the fact that I knew about then deputy president Floyd Shivambu’s departure and I did not tell the leadership,” he explained.

Ndlozi said he was told by the EFF leadership to stay at home, and cease his participation in Parliament and other EFF activities.

“It was very important for me because they said that the investigation is still ongoing and when the investigation is finished I then would be given an opportunity to respond to these allegations,” he explained.

He said the allegations levelled against him were “dangerous and very serious.”

He explained that the leadership argued that the report would only be ready after the conference and the matter had been referred to the leadership.

“It seemed fair for me to wait, to clear my name in relation to these allegations so that I do not function with a dark cloud on my head or a gun on my face. As I said, we can all agree these are very serious allegations that one had betrayed the revolution, had been disloyal and that indeed you are a double agent of some sort,” he added.

He stated categorically that he never planned to join the MKP and that he still did not intend on joining the party. He said he had never worked with anybody in the MKP.

“…I think that whatever information they say they have was based largely on lies,” he highlighted.

Ndlozi said he knew about Shivambu’s departure, however he said he was not an informant.

“I did know about the departure of Floyd Shivambu, he did come to tell me of his consideration and indeed I did tell him that look you have to take the leadership into confidence and he did. The idea that I should have ran behind his back and inform the leadership suggests that I am an informant, a gossiper or a wedge driver, I am none of those. It was Floyd’s decision, he had to communicate it, it was not my decision, it was his, he had to communicate it and he did,” he explained.

In recent months, high-profile members, including Shivambu, Dali Mpofu, Mzwanele Manyi and Busisiwe Mkhwebane, have left the EFF.