On Friday, May 5th, Mzwanele Manyi caused a political earthquake in South Africa by announcing on Twitter that he was leaving the African Transformation Movement (ATM) political party and joining the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
Prior to joining the African Transformation Movement, Manyi was a member of the African National Congress, the ruling political party in South Africa. Manyi has an impressive political and professional resume, having formerly been a government spokesperson and over 20 years of corporate experience. Manyi was the Director-General of the Department of Labor, managing a team of over 7,500 people.
Manyi has had leadership roles in a variety of boards he has served on over the years, including being a board member at Peoples Bank, Computershare, Alexkor Diamond Mine, Black Management Forum, Brand SA, and Media Development and Diversity Agency. He has also served as a chairman of the Commission for Employment Equity and BMF Investments.
In a statement released by Manyi, he said the change in party was under the belief that he could better serve South Africa as a member of the EFF and that his decision to change parties was not made lightly. He said, “After careful thought and consideration, I have come to the conclusion that I can serve South Africa better in an organization like the EFF. The EFF is the third largest party in South Africa and is well poised to take over from the ANC quicker than any other party. The EFF is the real alternative that everyone has been asking about.”
He continued, “I must hasten to add that I am leaving the ATM peacefully without fighting with anyone. I hope to be the bridge between the ATM and the EFF for party-to-party collaboration.”
Julius Malema, the head of the EFF, was enthusiastic of Manyi joining the EFF, saying on Friday, “Your credentials speak volumes, and we are more than confident that you will make a massive contribution to the success of the struggle for economic freedom in our lifetime.” Malema said, “On behalf of our ground forces, I want to take this opportunity to welcome fighter Mzwanele Manyi to his political home. We are honored to have you as part of our family; remember, we are one people of the African continent.”
In his statement, Manyi emphasized the work that must be done in South Africa and the importance of having a party willing to fight for the people. He said, “South Africa does not have another 100 years to be nursing a government that subscribes to neo-colonialism. South Africa needs to urgently take its place in the community of nations not as a puppet of the commonwealth but as a sovereign nation as envisaged in our Constitution.” Manyi continued, “The rampant corruption at all levels of Government needs to be stopped dead on its tracks and decisive actions against perpetrators must be taken.”
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