FORMER ANC President Jacob warned the South Africans against voting for the ANC which he said no longer represents them during the announcement of the newly- formed uMkhonto weSizwe Party ( MK) held on Saturday in Durban Picture: Zwelizwe Ndlovu
Durban — The newly registered uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK) aims to mobilise across the country to convince citizens “misled” by the ANC to join the new party as part of its implementation plan.
In a statement by the party, uMkhonto weSizwe national convener Lotta Mayana said the organisation was set to establish inroads.
“Our struggle is rooted in the firm belief that we must be united against any force that seeks to distort our history and compromise the ideals for which uMkhonto Wesizwe was founded.
“The ANC, in our view, is akin to a wounded, ailing elephant that has lost its way. “We, therefore, must stand firm and resolute in our mission to restore justice, truth and the principles that uMkhonto Wesizwe embodies,” said Mayana.
He said the party intended to make inroads in eight provinces including KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Free State, Gauteng, Eastern Cape, North West and Western Cape.
On Saturday, former president Jacob Zuma denounced the ANC and pledged to vote for the new party.
During a media briefing, Zuma called on South Africans to vote for the new party, saying that it would be a betrayal to vote for the ANC, which no longer represented the people.
“The party will ensure that its presence is felt and seen in every corner of the country we aim to serve. We aim to actively engage in recruitment efforts to swell our ranks.
“This is to ensure that the MK guerrilla election machinery is assembled and fully strengthened to remove the enterprise of the ANC from all public offices of South Africa,” added MK’s national convener.
ANC provincial secretary in KwaZulu-Natal, Bheki Mtolo, said people must not be misled by Zuma’s comments, which indicated that the party was the genuine MK that was the military wing of the ANC at the height of the Struggle.
He said this was not the same MK that was formed by the ANC in 1961 to wage an armed struggle against the apartheid regime, but a new party that could recruit anyone.
Political analyst Thobani Zikalala said that the party would be a serious contender with the political influence of the former president.
“Its careful use of his legacy and the legacy of MK will bode well for the new formation and it is critical to quickly establish its structures and inroads.
“I believe the party will cause serious destruction to the political performance of the ANC in the elections,” he said.
Zikalala said MK will give hope to the disgruntled voters of the ANC.
In a video shared on X (formerly known as Twitter), Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) CEO Masego Sheburi confirmed that uMkhonto weSizwe has been registered as a political party.
“There are a number of requirements that must be met by a party determined to be registered nationally.
“Having met the requirements, the party was registered on September 7,” he said.
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