The appointment of Mzwanele Manyi as an EFF MP just weeks after joining the party has shocked some who claim he was “parachuted into parliament”.   

TimesLIVE reported the former cabinet spokesperson Manyi was expected to be sworn in on Wednesday after joining the party last month.

ActionSA Gauteng executive committee member Siyanda Makhubo suggested the move was unfair to other EFF members.  

“Barely a month as a member of the EFF, with no credibility or groundwork as an activist, Mzwanele Manyi will be sworn in to parliament as an MP without leading an EFF branch. If I was an EFF Member, I’d be mad,” Makhubo said.   

Some on social media shared the same sentiment, saying Manyi was “parachuted into parliament” by the party. Others defended the party’s decision, saying he was well experienced in politics.

Attempts to reach EFF and Manyi for comment were unsuccessful at the time of publishing.   

EFF leader Julius Malema is known for talking tough when it comes to party members working hard to earn top positions. Speaking at a press conference last month, Malema hinted at changes in parliament when he said some members in the party’s caucus were lazy.  

“There is some laziness that has creeped into the EFF parliamentary caucus, legislatures and councils. The vibrancy of the EFF can no longer be felt. We have experienced some level of deterioration.

“Some members may have to be excused very soon. We will not harbour laziness. We need to crack the whip and make sure people toe the line,” he said.

This not the first time Malema has axed “lazy” members. In June 2021, Malema disbanded Tshwane EFF leadership months before local government elections saying they were not launching new branches.

Here are some reactions to news of Manyi becoming an EFF MP: 

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