MK Party faces turmoil as Zuma and John Hlophe clash

Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party leader Jacob Zuma is under scrutiny following his public fallout with his deputy Dr John Hlophe.

On Wednesday night, the MKP suspended Hlophe for removing the party’s parliament chief whip Colleen Makhubele. Hlophe had, according to the MKP, unilaterally removed Makhubele without consultation with the party or Zuma and replaced her with Des van Rooyen. Zuma, who was out of the country when Makhubele was removed, then reversed Hlophe’s decision and issued him with a precautionary suspension.

However, Hlophe reportedly defied the suspension and dared Zuma to fire him instead of suspending him.

Hlophe reportedly wrote on his X account, asking the party’s head of presidency Magasela Mzobe to request Zuma to terminate his party membership rather than suspend him. He also reportedly notified party members that he would not be attending the plenary session which was to take place on Thursday.

Weighing in on the fallout, political analyst Dr Ntsikelelo Breakfast said Zuma’s 'despotic running of his party will have serious implications for it in the local government elections next year' as he accused Zuma of 'destroying the party he founded by running it as his spaza shop'.

He said that Zuma is undemocratic and this has created instability which will haunt him and the party in the next year’s local government elections. 

“This persisting instability in the party is suicidal and the only way to save the party is for it to go to an elective conference, otherwise, it may not see next year’s elections. People will not vote for a party that is unstable, like this one. The (party's) constitution must clearly guide members on how to operate, right now it looks like Zuma does as he pleases,” said Breakfast.

MKP spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela did not respond to questions on the impact of the fallout between the two senior party leaders.

However, in the statement issued on Wednesday night, the party said Hlophe did not consult before taking his decision to remove Makhubele and therefore Zuma decided to suspend him from both his leadership roles as a caucus leader and as the deputy party president, pending the investigation.

There are suggestions that Hlophe’s role in the party had been diminished after Zuma appointed former ANC NEC member Tony Yengeni as a second deputy president.

When Zuma unveiled Yengeni at a recent media briefing in Durban, Hlophe was at the press conference but he did not speak at the event. It was at the briefing that Zuma announced that Hlophe would focus on parliamentary work while Yengeni would assist him (Zuma) in running the party outside of parliament.

Hlophe’s relationship with Zuma dates back to 2008 when Hlophe was accused of having influenced Constitutional Court judges to protect Zuma from prosecution in the R30 billion arms deal - the corruption and racketeering trial against Zuma is ongoing.

Hlophe was impeached in 2024 by the National Assembly for gross misconduct and he subsequently joined the MKP.

willem.phungula@inl.co.za