South Africa politics: Kasala as Malema deputy jump ship – BBC News Pidgin

One major player for South Africa political landscape for more dan ten years, di Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) don dey shake to di foundation.

Dis na sake of di defection of dia deputy leader Floyd Shivambu to former President Jacob Zuma baby party – uMhkonto weSizwe (MK), or Spear of di Nation.

Dem bin see Mr Shivambu as di ideological guru of di EFF, while party leader Julius Malema take di position of commander-in-chief – or “screamer-in-chief”, as im critics dey call am – wit im fiery rhetoric wia im dey demand for di nationalisation of land and mines wey white-pipo get, and di “decolonisation” of education.

Di two of dem look like one winning team, as di EFF dey gain di support of South Africa youth population wey dey increase by number and also dey frustrated wit di slow pace of political and economic reforms since di end of di racist system of apartheid for 1994.

But di EFF bin suffer one major setback for May general election wen, instead to achieve dia goal of rising from di third biggest party to second, e drop to fourth.

MK prove to be dia political nemesis – as e bin happun to di governing African National Congress (ANC) – as dem bin gain votes from both parties to snatch third place for di first election wey dem contest.

“MK cannibalised di ANC and im bin take many votes from di EFF. E change di course of South African politics, e make ANC lose dia parliamentary majority for di first time since 1994,” William Gumede, wey be academic wit Wits University School of Governance for Johannesburg, tell di BBC.

Mr Shivambu bin read di political tea leaves wey make am defect to di MK last week, e cause di biggest breakup for di EFF since dem launch am 11 years ago.

For Mr Malema, na personal blow becos di two, wey be young men wey get beta political energy, dem collabo to launch di EFF afta di ANC – ironically wey Mr Zuma bin dey lead- expell dem.

Dem bin challenge di authority of a president wey bin dey rooted for traditional values of respect for elders, and dem kick dem out afta accusations say dem dey divide di party and dey bring di party into disrepute.

“Di EFF carry almost di entire youth wing of di ANC, dem con also dominate student politics for campuses across South Africa, na so young pipo like di party well-well,” Paddy Harper, wey be journalist wit South Africa Mail & Guardian newspaper tok.

“Malema bin get di charisma (character) to get support, and Shivambu get di brains to give am ideological direction,” im tell di BBC.

“Wit dia break-up, di EFF go enta one period of turmoil. And pipo go feel am across South Africa, from campuses to parliament as di EFF dey try make dem no lose more support to MK.”

However, political analyst Moeletsi Mbeki say di break-up go actually “strengthen” Oga Malema position for di EFF as im no go face “potential threat” to im power again.

“Di EFF dey considered as more of a cult, wey Malema dey run. For dat kain system, di leader na di leader. Full stop.

Anybodi wey try to dey close range to di leader dey become casualty last last,” im tell di BBC.

Di first public sign say dia relationship go get K-leg happun last year, wen Oga Malema pay beta tribute to Mr Shivambu, e describe am as thinker, bifor im warn am make im no plot against am.

“I no dey pity pipo wey dey do such tins to me, so no try am wit me,” Dem quote Mr Malema say na wetin im bin tok for one gala dinner.

Wit Mr Malema wey don ready to run for re-election as party leader for di EFF conference for October, Mr Shivambu, wey dey 41years , look like say im don decide say time don reach to move on.

MK don make am im national organiser – one demotion from im role for di EFF but still one senior post wit di responsibility to grow di party.

But, Oga Harper say, e neva clear how im go work well wit Mr Zuma, sake of di kasala wey dem get bifor.

Di fact say di former president na also one cult-like figure for MK wey dey appoint and sack officials evritime.

In less dan one year di party don get three secretary generals.

“But some pipo still believe say di party still dey try to stand, and e go stabilise wit dia core leadership including Zuma, John Hlophe, di impeached judge wey dem bin make im deputy, and Shivambu,” Mr Harper tok.

Anoda reason wey bin fit push Mr Shivambu to defect na say im and Mr Malema – despite dia public personae say dem bi socialists and African nationalists – na dem bin dey for di centre of one major corruption scandal, im add.

Dem accuse dem say dem collect about 16m rand ($9m; £7m) for “gratification” – bribes, for simple language – from di boss of one bank wey don dey liquidated (close down) now afta dem meet for penthouse for one upmarket suburb of Johannesburg for 2017.

Na for one recently leaked witness statement by di bank boss wey dem disgrace Tshifhiwa Matodzi dem make di allegation afta im plead guilty to 33 counts of corruption, theft, fraud, money laundering and racketeering sake of say im hand dey inside wetin investigators describe as one “bank heist”.

Both Oga Shivambu and Oga Malema bin deny any wrong doing, but wit police investigation wey dey go on – and dia political rivals wey dey likely to keep up di pressure – di scandal no go end anytime soon.

“Na di biggest corruption scandal to hit di EFF, and if di party need to turn anyone into sacrificial lamb e for be Shivambu – certainly no be Malema,” Oga Harper tok.

“So, im move to MK make sense as e give am more protection. Na bigger party wey pipo wey get accusation of corruption full dia- including Oga Zuma imsef.” Di former president deny any wrongdoing.

MK na also one natural political home for Mr Shivambu as di economic policy dey similar to di EFF – di two dey advocate make goment takeover di lands wey whites get and di state ownership of mines and banks – policies wey many African kontris bin don adopt afta dia independence.

But na di ones wey dem bin abandon around di time of di collapse of di Soviet Union more dan 20 years ago.

“MK and EFF represent di old nationalist politics of Africa. Dem dey totally out of touch,” Mr Mbeki tok.

“State-owned companies for South Africa dey huge, but dem dey collapse sake of mismanagement. For di working class, e mean loss of jobs,” im add.

Expressing one similar view, Prof Gumede say di EFF bin fail to gain ground for South Africa trade union movement even though dem don dey exist for more dan 10 years.

“Weda working class or middle class, older voters see di EFF as one party wey dey stand for kasala and confrontation.

Dem want parties to co-operate to solve South Africa problems sake of say we get electricity and water crisis, and high unemployment and crime,” Prof Gumede tok.

Dis na di clear message from di election, im add, but both di EFF and MK bin make one “strategic mistake” as dem no gree to join di goment of national unity wey President Cyril Ramaphosa bin form afta di election.

Oga Harper bin tok say since di general election, MK neva do well for by-elections wey bin happun for Oga Zuma political backyard of KwaZulu-Natal.

“E no dey goment, and wetin dem dey do since na just to oppose di coalition goment for di province. No be wetin voters want. Dem want delivery of basic services,” im tok.

“As for di EFF, di ANC dey di process to dump dem as dia coalition partner for cities like Johannesburg. So dem too, dey out in di cold.

“Logically, di EFF and MP suppose to dey strengthen relations to offer voters beta alternative, instead of to dey compete against each oda for members and voters,” Oga Harper add.