The president of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Julius Malema, has welcomed the resignation of his deputy president, Floyd Shivambu, who will be joining the newly-established Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe party (MK).

Shivambu announced his official resignation in an urgent media briefing held by the party on Thursday at Winnie Madikizela Mandela House in Marshalltown, Johannesburg.

Malema welcomed Shivambu’s resignation, saying their brotherhood will stay strong even if they oppose each other.

“I stand before you to accept the decision of the deputy president of the EFF who has voluntarily resigned his position and didn’t renew his membership.”

“Floyd to me is not just a comrade, he’s a brother and we will remain brother[s] even when he pursues his political career differently,” said Malema.

Malema reassured EFF supporters that Shivambu’s departure does not signal the end of the party. He vows to keep pushing the party forward even if he finds himself alone in the party, as more party members are expected to be in Shivambu’s heels.

“There will be many others who are going to leave the EFF because they’ve got their loyalty and support to the deputy president. So fighters on the ground should be prepared for more people to follow and this should not serve as a point of collapse for the EEF,” Malema said.

“This is a testing moment. The organisation that has lived Beyond 10 years has never been through this testing moment. The EFF will have to pass this test or it will have to die and we as members and leaders of the EFF will defend its life [and] will make sure it lives forever for generations.”

EFF has been perplexed by challenges following the disappointing national general elections, in which the party dropped to fourth place with less than 10% of the vote.

Last month, the party suffered another blow when its leaders, Julius Malema and Floyd Shivambu, were brought up in the VBS bank money looting scandal.