The recently dismissed deputy president of the Afrika Mayibuye Movement, Nolubabalo Mcinga, has spoken out following her removal from the party, accusing leader Floyd Shivambu of poor leadership and discrimination.
In an interview with Newzroom Afrika, Mcinga said she was dismissed over “gossip and gender discrimination.” She also revealed that several leaders from the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party had warned her not to leave the party when she decided to join Afrika Mayibuye.
“I just want to say sorry to the people of South Africa because they warned me. There are a lot of leaders who called me when we started the process of consultation. One of them was comrade Lungile Mdlingosi from the Eastern Cape, who begged me not to leave the MK Party. He said, ‘Floyd needs to grow,’” she said.
Mcinga, who co-founded Afrika Mayibuye Movement with former EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu earlier this year, was dismissed this week after being accused of serious organisational misconduct. The party alleged that she held an unauthorised meeting with MK Party leader Jacob Zuma.
According to the party, her removal was in line with internal rules that allow it to dismiss leaders “when necessary” to protect its integrity and unity.
Mcinga has, however, rejected the claims, saying her meeting with Zuma was personal and that she had informed the leadership beforehand.
“The president of Africa Mayibuye is very controlling. You can’t tell me that I cannot meet president Jacob Zuma. I know him personally. I’m a member of Mkhonto weSizwe Party. So what right do they have to tell me that I’m not allowed to meet president Jacob Zuma and he’s a family friend,” she said.
“My meeting with him was personal. Those are pure fabrications. They just want to dent my name. This is gender-based violence. You don’t just write things that you don’t have proof of. I want proof,” she added.
Mcinga said she was informed of her dismissal abruptly and without due process.
“I regard myself still as the deputy president of Africa Mayibuye Movement because the internal processes were not formally addressed. I just received a letter at 3am and the next thing, I was removed from WhatsApp groups,” she said.
She further stated that the party had failed to follow its own disciplinary procedures outlined in its manifesto, the Africa Mayibuye Restoration Manifesto.
Party spokesperson Sydney Baloyi confirmed that Mcinga’s removal was a unanimous decision made within the movement’s constitutional powers.
Mcinga accused Shivambu of arrogance and an inability to lead people, saying he could learn humility and leadership from Jacob Zuma.
“Floyd needs to grow, or he needs to be born again, or he needs to go and twasa so that he can humble himself to elders. He’s failing already by firing a female deputy president over gossip. What kind of leadership is that?” she said.
“He needs to go back to the MK Party to learn people management skills. He wasn’t fired there; he was just demoted. He’s too arrogant, and he needs to calm down a bit so that he can lead people,” she added.
Mcinga, who claims to have played a major role in establishing the movement, accused Shivambu of sidelining her and centralising power.
“They’ll have meetings without me. They deployed Dr Nozi, the women’s movement president, without me even knowing. Afrika Mayibuye is said to be a people’s movement. Why is it all about Floyd?” she asked.
“What he sold to me was that this is going to be a people’s movement, not Floyd’s political party. I joined knowing I was going to be in a movement because I’m an activist,” she said.
Despite her removal, Mcinga said she has no plans to leave the party she helped found.
“No, I’ll never leave Mayibuye. Processes must follow. I mean, we just started the party, and processes are not in place. I formed it, I mobilised, I brought in people. I can’t just leave my constituency like that,” she said.
She reaffirmed her support for the MK Party and Jacob Zuma, describing the party as “the only hope” for South Africa.
“The ANC-led government failed dismally. The only hope for South Africa to regain its power back is through the MK Party. There’s high unemployment, inequality, and poverty — and the ANC is doing nothing in this GNU,” Mcinga said.
