Shivambu was born in the rural village of Mahonisi, Malamulele town in the Limpopo province South Africa. He was one of seven children. He grew up in a house without running water nor electricity. His parents earned a living as informal traders selling hand made duvets and pillowcases in nearby towns. Shivambu graduated from the Mphambo High School in Malamulele in 2001, and went on to study at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg initially intending to study to become a technician. He changed academic focus and instead earned a bachelor's degree as well as an honours Degree in Political Studies and International Relations. Shivambu went on to graduate with a master's degree, with distinction, in political studies in 2014. In his third year at the University of the Witwatersrand, Shivambu was elected president of the university's Student Representative Body and joined the African National Congress Youth League. On 6 February 2018, he announced that he has been accepted by the Wits School of Governance to pursue a doctoral degree with his thesis focused on SA’s transformation policies, legislation and practices: ownership and control of JSE-listed companies.
Shivambu is the Deputy President in the Economic Freedom Fighters and responsible for Policy, Research, and International Relations. Since their days in the ANC Youth League, Shivambu and Julius Malema have appeared as close political allies. Following both their suspension from the ANC, Shivambu co-founded the EFF, alongside Malema. He co-edited a book about Malema, titled The Coming Revolution.
Controversies
In 2011, Shivambu was ousted from his position as ANC Youth League spokesman by an ANC disciplinary hearing, after he swore at a journalist, and after making comments about helping to bring about regime change in Botswana. In 2015, Shivambu was involved in a heavily publicised paternity scandal whereby he denied having fathered a child of his then girlfriend, Andile Masuku. On 20 March 2018, Shivambu was filmed attacking a journalist outside Parliament. Shivambu was criticised for demanding to know why treasury official Ismail Momoniat, who is of South African Indian ancestry, was presenting so often to parliament instead of a black National Treasury official, stating that Momoniat's presence "undermines African leadership". This led to widespread condemnation of Shivambu by other politicians and on social media for both questing Momoniat's role in the anti-apartheid movement and for being racially prejudiced. Four months later, the Daily Maverick stated that a likely reason for Shivambu's statements about Momoniat was because he was part of a group of treasury officials investigating the collapse of VBS Mutual Bank which allegedly involved Shivambu and his brother Brian Shivambu. On 17 August 2018, Shivambu was arrested for speeding. He was caught driving at 182 km/h in 120 km/h zone, and subsequently released on bail.
VBS Bank
A report published by the South African Reserve Bank in October 2018 indicated that Shivambu's brother, Brian Shivambu, was the recipient of R16,148,569 in irregular payments from the now collapsed bank VBS Mutual Bank. Further investigative reporting by Pauli Van Wyk with considerable substantiating evidence alleged that R1.3 million of this money was then paid to the EFF and R10 million given to Floyd Shivambu himself. Shivambu has since asked that anyone who has evidence he had dealings with VBS must come forward. During this period the Mail & Guardian newspaper published an article based on WhatsApp texts leaked by a whistleblower alleging that Shivambu's brother's company was a conduit for Shivambu to receive illicit payments.
