ANALYSIS | Ndlozi's exit from EFF and politics: When the ice melts

JOHANNESBURG – The writing had been on the wall for some time, that the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)’s Mbuyiseni Ndlozi was being given the cold shoulder.

At the party’s recent elective gathering at the Nasrec Expo Centre, his face was unseen  – raising questions about the internal red berets’ rapport.

“I was suspended six weeks before the conference,” he has now confirmed.

Political analyst Dr Levy Ndou said there was suspicion surrounding Ndlozi's exit, adding that his silence was too loud to ignore.

"We had to wait for the real reasons," he said adding that it revealed "internal troubles" within the party.

Ndlozi had been suspended shortly before the party’s leadership election.

He has played open cards about his exit from politics and the red berets, speaking to the SABC on Sunday night as he officially bowed out, having earlier resigned as a member of Parliament.

His dumping of the party comes back on the heels of humiliation from the party’s president – Julius Malema.

About five years ago, Ndlozi was the spokesperson of the red berets. A popular member of the caucus often referred to on social media as “the people’s bae”, he was said to be the reason many watched the often chaotic debates in the house.

“The EFF is Parliament,” he said at the time.

Former ANC member of Parliament Sibusiso Kula once told him where to get off regarding his supposed bootlicking duty for Malema.

“That ice boy has been given an opportunity to speak. He must go and pick up ice for [Julius] Malema and not disrupt Parliament. His responsibility is to go and pick up ice for Julius’ whiskey. When Julius wants whiskey he goes to Ndlozi….we can’t be told by an ice boy.”

Professor Susan Booysen says Ndlozi "didn't have a choice,” but to give the new political outfit his all.

“He was an integral part of the EFF's journey. It's hard to imagine the EFF without him. He was a good loyal member," she said with an upended smile.

Malema was less enthusiastic about the contribution made by Ndlozi when asked about his whereabouts at the national conference in December.

“I never said anything about Ndlozi. Don’t bring your shebeen gossip,” he said at the time in response to questions from Eyewitness News’ Alpha Ramushwana.

Ndlozi has since revealed that his downfall was linked to keeping quiet about former deputy president Floyd Shivambu’s intentions to resign from the party and to join the MK Party.