Fake Facebook account alert: Mbuyiseni Ndlozi has not resigned from South Africa's EFF party
IN SHORT: A Facebook page using the name of Economic Freedom Fighters president, Julius Malema, posted a resignation letter from member of parliament Mbuyiseni Ndlozi. However, the party's spokesperson refutes the claim.
On 21 August 2024, the Facebook page Julius Sello Malema posted what appeared to be a resignation letter from Mbuyiseni Ndlozi. The same letter was posted by a user on X, receiving over 750,000 views.
Malema is the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), an opposition party in South Africa. Ndlozi represents the EFF in parliament.
The post references the resignation of the party's former deputy president, Floyd Shivambu, announced on 15 August. Soon after, Shivambu held a press conference, dressed in the regalia of his new party, uMkhonto weSizwe Party, where he assumed the role of national organiser.
After Shivambu's departure from the party, some social media users began claiming that Ndlozi had also left the EFF. On 19 August, while addressing EFF members in the Gauteng province, Malema criticised party members who, he said, were normally vocal on social media but were quiet when the party was "under attack".
Touching on Shivambu's departure, Malema added that the EFF would continue to move forward and that those "longing" for members who had left could also leave. Some interpreted these statements as a message to Ndlozi or a subtle acknowledgement of the rumours of his exit.
Does the Facebook post in question really show Ndlozi's resignation letter?
The party refutes the claims
On 26 August, Ndlozi posted a photo on his X account of himself and a child, apparently at a voting station. In the photo, Ndlozi is wearing his party's signature red beret while the child is in a red EFF t-shirt. The two are wearing the same clothes as in another X post, published on the EFF Gauteng account on 29 May, the day of South Africa's general elections.
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Ndlozi has since shared several other posts about the EFF, indicating that he is still a member of the party.
Africa Check contacted EFF national spokesperson Leigh Ann Mathys, who responded via WhatsApp, saying: "Dr Ndlozi had not resigned and we have said this over and over again."
If Ndlozi had resigned, it would also have made national news headlines. But we found no credible reports of his resignation.
The Facebook page that posted the alleged resignation letter uses the name and photo of Malema and has 350,000 followers. While a large number of followers can be an indicator of authenticity, there are some red flags here.
While the page describes itself as a "political party", it shares memes and statements that a prominent politician would be unlikely to post online.
Furthermore, the page does not link to the official EFF website, nor does it have a description of Malema's role within the party. By comparison, his X profile contains all that information and, most importantly, states that he does not have a Facebook account.
Trending topics enjoy a lot of attention from the media and social media users. The sheer volume of information being shared may allow for disinformation to fall through the cracks. It's important to ensure that you get your information directly from credible sources. These include press releases by relevant organisations and their spokespeople.
For tips on how to verify official government Facebook pages or accounts, read our guide here.
