Responding to party leader Julius Malema’s criticism of his decision to not vote in South Africa’s 2026 local government elections, former Economic Freedom Fighters MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi defended not voting as a personal choice and questioned the EFF’s dwindling support.
The argument started after Ndlozi appeared on SABC1’s Daily Thetha, he explained that he did not cast a ballot because he was disillusioned with the state of affairs within the Black political parties. Parties, he said, are ignoring issues like poverty and inequality, and people shouldn’t be pressured to vote for political groups just because they’re on the ballot.
On Saturday, November 7, during a press conference, Malema discussed Ndlozi’s choice. He criticised Ndlozi’s decision not to vote, saying it was strange and counter-revolutionary, considering Ndlozi’s ties to former president Thabo Mbeki and the democratic struggle’s sacrifices. Even if they don’t believe in the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Malema said South Africans should vote.
The long post Ndlozi made on X was his response; in it, he described his abstention as thoughtful and careful. No one has the right to force or criticise an individual into voting against their will, he said, adding that the right to vote also includes the freedom not to vote.
Also, he asked Malema to explain the decline in the EFF’s vote share and shifted the focus to the party’s performance in the election. After receiving 10.31% of the vote in 2021, the EFF saw a decline to 6.22% in the 2026 local government elections. Its prior share has dropped by nearly 40%, or 4.09 percentage points.
Rather than being considered an entitlement, Ndlozi argues that political support should be earned through performance and improvements in people’s lives. As evidence that voters’ allegiances can change over time, he pointed to the ANC’s fluctuating fortunes in KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.
He also brought up the fact that anti-apartheid activists like Barney Pityana and Ronnie Kasrils had asked people to throw out their ballots in the 2014 election. According to Ndlozi, voters who choose not to cast ballots or who have their votes spoilt are expressing their discontent with the parties’ platforms.
The former MP’s connection to the EFF leadership and the party’s success in the most recent elections have both been brought to light by the exchange. After Ndlozi resigned from parliament in 2024, he began working for the Thabo Mbeki Foundation.
According to Malema, he has decided he will no longer respond to Ndlozi. Regardless, the point of contention is that voting absenteeism and the electoral collapse of the EFF have sparked a public discussion regarding political responsibility and engagement.