Makhado Municipality councillor Wiseman Ramalwa from Vleifontein says internal party squabbles pushed him to resign from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the municipal council.
Ramalwa said he no longer wanted to spend his political energy defending himself within the EFF while communities were waiting for public representatives to serve them.
He submitted his resignation to the EFF’s Limpopo provincial secretary on 1 May. In his resignation letter, Ramalwa said his suspension had been lifted on 12 February 2026 and that he had been reinstated as a councillor with immediate effect. However, he said he had since decided to terminate his EFF membership and resign from the Makhado Municipal Council.
“After deep reflection and unwavering commitment to the revolutionary struggle for economic freedom, I have taken the decision to terminate my membership of the Economic Freedom Fighters with immediate effect,” he wrote.
He said his resignation from council had already been communicated to the Speaker. It is not yet clear who will replace him.
Ramalwa did not go into detail in his letter, saying he would not use “any further energy” explaining his decision, adding that his focus remained on the struggle against “landlessness, poverty and exploitation”.
However, when asked about his reasons, he said internal party disputes were the main factor. “I grew tired of using my energy fighting to defend myself instead of fighting the enemy forces,” he said.
Ramalwa said he remained grateful for the political grounding he received in the EFF, particularly its emphasis on ideological clarity and political education. He said he was expected to graduate later this year and planned to enrol for a Master of Law degree at the University of Venda.
“This academic advancement will sharpen my capacity to wage a more effective battle for justice and the radical transformation of our society,” he wrote.
Ramalwa said he was leaving the party without bitterness.
EFF Limpopo provincial chairperson Lawrence Mapoulo, however, said those leaving the party had long-standing issues with the organisation and suggested the party had already anticipated their departure.
“Those people you see leaving were going to be fired. Now they say they are resigning because they know they were going to be fired,” said Mapoulo. He said the EFF would not focus on former members. “We don’t have time for them. We are not going to popularise such people,” he said.