KZN premier candidate for RISE Mzansi, Nonkululeko Hlongwane-Mhlongo said they appeal to their counterparts at uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party to accept the court judgment and remain focused on a peaceful and above-board election campaign. Picture: Supplied
RISE Mzansi in KwaZulu-Natal has called for calm in the province following a court judgment handed down by the Constitutional Court which prevents former president Jacob Zuma from going to Parliament as a member of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP).
The apex court handed down a judgment on Monday which found that Zuma was not eligible to go to Parliament owing to his criminal conviction.
In a statement, Nonkululeko Hlongwane-Mhlongo, RISE KZN premier candidate, said: “As RISE Mzansi we appeal to our counterparts at uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party to accept the court judgment and remain focused on a peaceful and above-board election campaign.
“We make this appeal mindful of some remarks made by certain party members that they would not be in support of a Constitutional Court outcome that does not favour former president Zuma.”
She said the court order will no doubt cause unhappiness among some members of the MKP.
But this should not be allowed to spill over into the political landscape, particularly in KZN where the party enjoys significant presence.
“As RISE Mzansi, in our Phakama KZN Plan we made it clear that we exist in a province that is always volatile and can easily be susceptible to violence and instability. Our province will not rebuild, grow, and thrive unless it has leadership that works tirelessly and intentionally to bring us together, across the divides of race, class, geography (urban and rural), age (old and young), politics, gender and sexual orientation,” she said.
The Mercury