MK Party leader Jacob Zuma and secretary-general Floyd Shivambu. | X
Prof. Bheki Mngomezulu
UMKHONTO weSizwe Party (MKP) celebrated its one year of existence on 15 December 2024 – just one day before the exact date when the party was formally launched on 16 December 2023 by its leader Former President Jacob Zuma.
It is now history that the MKP caused an upset to many political parties when it obtained 58 seats in the National Assembly and performed very well in KZN when it obtained 45 per cent of the votes. Its performance surpassed what both the NFP and EFF achieved when they entered the political scene in 2011 and 2013 respectively.
Intriguingly, despite its resounding performance, the MKP found itself in the opposition benches when IFP’s Thami Ntumi assumed the position of KZN Premier although the IFP only obtained 18 per cent of the provincial votes in KZN.
But while these historical accounts are relevant, what has caught the attention of many South Africans is the commotion that has been taking place in the organisation. Some of the MKP members in the National Assembly were recalled and subsequently replaced by others.
When this happened, divergent views were expressed by the party’s supporters and critics alike. There were those who immediately wrote the party’s obituary and likened it to Mosioua Lekota’s Congress of the People (COPE) which disappeared from the political scene like dews at sunrise. Others applauded the MKP for investing its energies in purifying itself first before hurriedly heading for an elective conference which will replace the current interim National High Command structure which is saddled with the responsibility to direct the organisation.
As political developments took place at the national level, KZN as a province seemed to be operating well with the MKP and the EFF occupying opposition benches and playing their role in this capacity.
However, there were already concerns about trust deficit among MKP members in the KZN Legislature – some publicly announced while others were subtle or operated clandestinely behind closed doors.
Among these concerns were rumours that some within the party were colluding with the multiparty coalition led by the IFP – which they continuously but wrongly refer to as the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU).
Recent developments in the Legislative Assembly in KZN have left many people guessing about what the MKP is up to. Importantly, some concerns have been raised about the party’s prospects and sustained fame.
Dr Kwazi Mbanjwa was recently suspended from the party. Mervyn Dirks was subsequently asked to act in the position in the interim. While details about Mbanjwa’s suspension remain sketchy, a letter credited to the MKP’s Secretary General Floyd Shivambu is said to have indicted Dr Mbanjwa of some irregularities and contravention of the MKP’s Constitution.
At the centre of this narrative is that Mbanjwa failed to hand over the party’s bank account to the Treasurer General of the organisation. These accusations are yet to be ventilated in the party’s internal committees, and possibly in a court of law.
But while these internal and court processes are being considered, people are worried about the future of this very young party which has announced its arrival in the political space with such a bang.
While the issue of Mbanjwa’s suspension has been a topical subject, equally important has been the suspension of two MPLs, Sifiso Zuma and Thobani Zuma.
These suspensions have left other MPLs asking themselves about their political future. Equally, those who are outside of government as members of the party and ordinary South Africans are following these developments with keen interest.
One of the dominant figures in these developments is Zuma, the party leader. Some people continue to hold Zuma in high esteem. They argue that he can play the political chess game to the envy of his political opponents. They rationalise all his actions regardless of whether they understand what he is doing or not.
Others correctly or wrongly view Zuma as a dictator in the MKP. They associate the absence of an elected leadership structure with what they consider to be instability in the party.
Yet, there are those who do not pin everything on Zuma. Instead, they acknowledge the existence of the National High Command structure and argue that it is this structure which makes decisions, not Zuma who unilaterally decides who should be recalled, suspended or fired.
While these speculations are underway, the main concern is whether the MKP will achieve its set goal of bringing back hope to the people of South Africa.
For example, issues like land, inequality, poverty, unemployment, crime, and slow economic growth continue to be a concern for many South Africans. As they see what they consider to be instability in the MKP, they wonder if the party will succeed in delivering on its promise to redeem the masses of the country from the challenges outlined above.
Given this broader context, there are certain issues that the MKP should be mindful of.
Firstly, as a new political party, it must draw lessons from other political parties which either disintegrated or became weak soon after being established due to internal challenges – including trust deficit and failure to abide by party constitutions.
Secondly, the MKP must realise that many South Africans voted for it in numbers in May because they had hope for a better life.
Thirdly, the party must remember that some of its financial supporters and volunteers feel disgruntled when their expectations are not met – whatever those might be. Unless these are addressed, the party could implode sooner rather than later.
Fourthly, the MKP must know that it is an indubitable fact that there are prophets of doom who desperately want to see it fail. Would it be a wise move to play into the gallery or should the party be vigilant and rational?
Fifthly and lastly, the party must always keep its members and supporters informed about its decisions. In the absence of correct information from the party leadership, political opportunists will manufacture their own reasons for every action for their own political expediency.
* Prof Bheki Mngomezulu is the Director of the Centre for the Advancement of Non-Racialism and Democracy at the Nelson Mandela University.
** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.