Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla Takes A Seat In EFF Red At Orlando Stadium — Soweto Watches

Thousands of EFF supporters packed Orlando Stadium in Soweto on Saturday morning, turning the 40,000-capacity arena into a blazing wall of crimson — and seated among them, unmistakably, was Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla. The former ANC loyalist and daughter of imprisoned ex-president Jacob Zuma arrived without fanfare, drawing immediate whispers from nearby delegates who recognised her face among the red-clad faithful filling the stands ahead of the party’s closing Tshela Thupa Rally.

Zuma-Sambudla’s attendance at the EFF’s flagship pre-election gathering carries significant weight. The Tshela Thupa Rally — translated loosely as the event that delivers the decisive blow — traditionally serves as Commander-in-Chief Julius Malema’s platform to issue final marching orders to volunteers and unveil the municipal service delivery manifesto. With voting commencing nationwide on Monday, Saturday’s spectacle represented the EFF’s last major opportunity to capture undecided urban voters across Gauteng.

EFF spokesperson Sinawo Tambo confirmed the rally drew attendees from all nine provinces, though the party declined to address Zuma-Sambudla’s presence directly. Orlando Stadium management told journalists the facility reached near-capacity by 10h00. Police had not responded to questions regarding crowd management by the time of publication, though SAPS members maintained a visible perimeter along Elias Motsoaledi Road outside the venue.

Zuma-Sambudla’s political trajectory makes her appearance particularly striking. After severing ties with the ANC following legal battles surrounding her father, she aligned publicly with the uMkhonto weSizwe Party during last year’s national elections — a movement whose surge significantly eroded the very EFF support base she now appeared to celebrate. Pre-election surveys place the red berets at roughly 10%, mirroring their 2021 municipal tally, despite sustained pressure from MKP’s expanding footprint in former ANC strongholds.

One image circulating on social media captured Zuma-Sambudla seated three rows from the floor, wearing dark glasses and a plain black jacket — conspicuously absent of red regalia — while surrounding delegates chanted Malema’s name and raised clenched fists toward the rafters. The visual contrast was impossible to miss.

Malema’s address was expected to outline the EFF’s commitment to abolishing municipal tender systems, insourcing general workers directly onto government payrolls, and delivering free basic services to social grant recipients. Whether Zuma-Sambudla’s quiet attendance represents a genuine ideological shift, a calculated political manoeuvre, or something far more personal remains completely unanswered as South Africa’s polling stations prepare to open.