All that cash and no votes, mocks Shivambu as EFF crashes in poll shocker

Afrika Mayibuye leader Floyd Shivambu says he is satisfied with his party’s showing in the municipal elections, but took a potshot at his former political home, the EFF, for failing to breach the 7% mark despite its massive war chest and access to government power.

With 88% of the national vote counted, the EFF sat at just 6.24% with 271 seats, lagging behind the ANC on 31.73%, the DA on 23.99%, and the MK Party on 9.42%.

Speaking to journalists at the national Results Operations Centre in Midrand on Friday, Shivambu said the numbers on the board reflected a decisive voter backlash against legacy parties that failed to deliver on promises.

He argued that the sharp drop in support for both the ANC and the red berets proved that the electorate was no longer forgiving.

“The voters are always correct,” Shivambu said, adding that the outcome sent an unmistakable message to the political establishment.

Shivambu took direct aim at the EFF, questioning how the party slumped to barely over 6% nationally despite holding municipal governing power and spending lavishly on the campaign trail.

“The EFF, of course, has created the highest budget in terms of money for these elections with multiple music festivals, but could not persuade more than 7% of the voters, even though they are in government,” he said.

Shivambu insisted that his priority was laying the ground for his new movement rather than obsessing over the misfortunes of rivals.

He described the party’s footprint as a critical strategic foundation, pointing out that Afrika Mayibuye deliberately launched a nationwide campaign instead of retreating into a few safe pockets where easy wins could be manufactured.

He said the party picked up votes in every municipality it contested, demonstrating that its political reach extended well beyond a single regional base.

Shivambu added that the immediate task was consolidating internal structures ahead of the 2029 national and provincial elections, where he predicted the movement would become a dominant force in South African politics.

He acknowledged that entrenching a sustainable party machinery takes time, but maintained that the groundwork for massive growth had been firmly laid.