Floyd Shivambu’s newly launched Afrika Mayibuye Movement is already drawing controversy, with critics noting striking similarities between its logo and that of his former party, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
Shivambu officially unveiled the party on Friday after months of touring the country to gauge public support for a new political movement.
In revealing the logo, observers immediately noted motifs that appeared reminiscent of the EFF emblem, raising questions about originality.
Shivambu Denies Copying
Speaking to the media in Midrand, Shivambu strongly denied that his new logo copied the EFF’s.
“It doesn’t look exactly like the EFF; it doesn’t even look similar. You must go and see the logo of the EFF. Then look at this logo you will see that they are different,” he said.
“I conceptualised the logo of the EFF then, so I know there is a difference between the EFF logo and this one,” he added.
Symbolism of the Logo
The Afrika Mayibuye logo displays a star atop a purple circle, enclosing a red and green banner. A black fist holding a spear-pen rises from the southern part of Africa.
Shivambu said the EFF and Mayibuye logos both feature a fist and spear, but they are not identical.
He said the fists’ angles, star placement, and spear direction in the Mayibuye logo differ.
He also noted that the spear is a symbol shared with the uMkhonto weSizwe Party logo.
According to the party’s manifesto, the spear-pen represents the fusion of intellectual struggle and revolutionary action, while the purple circle signifies royalty.
The fist and African continent reflect the pursuit of total African emancipation and freedom.
The party’s name, Afrika Mayibuye, is a long-standing liberation cry meaning “May Africa return” or “Come back Africa.”
Shivambu insisted that the logo reflects the new party’s distinct identity and mission, rather than an attempt to replicate his former party’s imagery.
Does Floyd Shivambu’s new party logo copy his former party, the EFF?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1
Subscribe to The South African website’s newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
