The uMkhonto WeSizwe Party (MKP) has removed Floyd Shivambu as the party’s secretary-general and has redeployed him to represent the party in the National Assembly, following a recent trip to Malawi to visit fugitive pastor Shepherd Bushiri.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, the MKP said Shivambu’s visit was in violation of the party’s constitution and that his redeployment would strengthen the MKP as an opposition party owing to his experience as a former member of Parliament.

“We would like to thank and acknowledge Commander Shivambu's contribution as both the National Organiser and Secretary General of the MK Party and the role he has played in contributing to the advancement of the organisation. His invaluable skills and experience as a politician will continue to benefit the MK Party in his new role to which he is redeployed. The National Officials have had discussions with Commander Floyd Shivambu pertaining to his deployment, and he has duly accepted this particular position,” said MKP chairperson Nathi Nhleko.

He said the trip was not an officially sanctioned programme of the party and its President Jacob Zuma, and went against the party's constitution.

He added that civil society had approached the party, after which the MKP considered the gravity of the matter and the implications for the party and its image and principles. 

Shivambu thanked Zuma and the party's leadership for having assigned him as secretary-general and the party's national organiser. He said he accepted the redeployment to the National Assembly as a "disciplined member" of the MKP and assured that he would continue to play a role to advance the party's agenda and programme.

"It has been an invaluable role that we have played – a humbling experience that we have been assigned by the President. We want to thank him for leading the programme of unification of all the progressive forces in South Africa. That is the agenda that we are going to continue to pursue. On behalf of myself and everyone else who is involved, we want to regret the decision in terms of the visit to Malawi. It was not consistent with the constitution of uMkhonto WeSizwe as reflected in the statement, and we fully accept the new responsibility. We’ll continue to play a role and build the organisation towards the 2026 local government elections and towards the two-thirds majority victory in the 2029 general elections. Thank you very much, comrade President. We really appreciate the role that you have given us and the redeployment. The confidence that you continue to show even when we falter in terms of some of the issues that we deal with at a personal level. Thank you very much I really appreciate it," Shivambu said.

The party said "the matter ends today" and that nobody in the party's leadership will comment on the matter further.