ROAD TO 2024 ELECTIONS
MK founder asks IEC to ‘urgently remove’ Jacob Zuma from the party’s list of candidates
The expelled uMkhonto Wesizwe party founder has also placed Jacob Zuma on ‘precautionary suspension’, pending disciplinary proceedings being brought against him in line with the party’s constitution.
The founder of the uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party, Jabulani Khumalo, has asked the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to remove former president Jacob Zuma as the face of the party and from its list of parliamentary candidates.
Read more in Daily Maverick: Elections 2024 – All your questions answered
In a letter dated 5 May, Khumalo requested that the IEC urgently remove Zuma’s name as the “face” of the MK party, and that he also be “immediately removed” as the president of the party.
“He [Zuma] occupies both positions through fraudulent and illegal manoeuvres,” Khumalo wrote.
He has also written to Zuma, in a letter also dated 5 May, telling him he has been placed on “precautionary suspension” for allegedly committing “several acts of misconduct in relation to the activities” of the MK party.
“These have brought the party into disrepute, and caused confusion within the broader public and the membership of the MKP. Specifically, you have purported to suspend me as the president of the party without following the procedures prescribed by the constitution of the party,” Khumalo wrote.
He added that Zuma had been placed on precautionary suspension, pending disciplinary proceedings being brought against him in line with the constitution of the MK party.
Khumalo, who registered the MK party with the IEC in September 2023, was expelled from the party on 26 April, along with four other party leaders. The purge exposed the instability in the fledgling party, at a time when polls showed its support was growing – with Ipsos predicting MK could receive 8.4% of the vote on 29 May.
Read more in Daily Maverick: 2024 elections
In a statement announcing the leaders’ expulsion, MK said that a National Leadership Core meeting had revealed that the party had been infiltrated by external forces who sought to “destabilise” it.
The party kept mum on the reasons for the purge, but claimed it was in the interest of “patriotic South Africans that want to see change”.
Former president Jacob Zuma, flanked by Jabulani Khumalo, speaks about his political future at a press conference in Orlando East, Soweto, on 16 December 2023. (Photo: Reuters /Shiraaz Mohamed)
In a statement issued just before 1pm on Tuesday, the IEC confirmed receipt of Khumalo’s letter. However, it said Zuma was the registered leader of the MK party since 10 April.
“The commission reiterates its stance that it does not involve itself in internal affairs of political parties. Additionally, the commission only acts on instruction of the registered leader of the party. In the present case, Mr Jacob Zuma is the registered leader of MK Party. This has been so since 10 April 2024,” it said.
Following the leaders’ expulsion, the Sunday Times reported on allegations that Khumalo had held secret meetings with the ANC behind Zuma’s back, and that he had been raising funds for the party, but those funds never reached its coffers.
Read more in Daily Maverick: Expulsions from MK party point to deep instability and mistrust
Khumalo was second on the party’s candidate list for the National Assembly, behind Zuma who was first on the list.
The move by Khumalo comes days before the Constitutional Court is set to hear, on 10 May 2024, an appeal by the IEC against the Electoral Court’s decision to allow Zuma to stand as a candidate for the MK party. The IEC had initially barred Zuma from appearing on the ballot – considering he was convicted and sentenced to 15 months in prison for contempt of court for refusing to appear before the State Capture Commission in 2021 – but the Electoral Court reversed this, ruling he could stand for office.
Read more in Daily Maverick: The unstoppable impunities of being Jacob Zuma — with a lot of help from the ANC
On 3 May, Zuma submitted notice that he intends to file a counter-application to the IEC case, requesting the recusal of six Constitutional Court judges who were involved in his contempt of court case.
The IEC has, in court papers filed on Monday, stated there is “substantial risk of a disputed electoral outcome” in the elections if Zuma is allowed to stand, News24 reported.
‘Zuma brought MK into disrepute’
In his letter to the IEC, Khumalo said he was responsible for the registration of the MK party, while Zuma merely proposed the party’s name and helped to raise funds for its registration.
“At all times, it was always understood that Mr Zuma is not a member of MKP, but would assist it in the campaign. In fact, when he announced his decision to vote and campaign for MKP on 16 December 2023, he made it clear he would remain a member of the ANC,” Khumalo said.
He said Zuma is not a member of the MK party’s executive committee.
On 23 April, Khumalo said he was called to a meeting with individuals who were not on the party’s national executive committee but were active in the MK party. According to Khumalo, at the meeting, Zuma announced that Khumalo had been removed as president of the party, and that he would henceforth be the president.
“During that meeting a fraudulent letter was prepared for transmission to the Electoral Commission announcing that I would no longer be on the list of candidates and that Mr Zuma would be the face and president of MKP.
“I sent a letter to the Electoral Commission, in which I confirmed that Mr Zuma would be the face of the party. At no stage did I confirm that Mr Zuma would be the president of the party,” Khumalo wrote in the letter.
According to Khumalo, Zuma’s conduct has brought the party into “disrepute”. Zuma had “acted contrary to the terms of the constitution of the party”, by purporting to remove Khumalo as party leader without following any procedures.
Khumalo also claimed that it had been “widely discussed” within the MK party that after the elections “certain individuals, including an active member and leader of an opposition party” would take over as the party’s president.
Khumalo’s letter to the IEC comes amid allegations of signature forgery by the MK party, revealed by City Press last week. Police have said they are investigating the claims that the party forged thousands of signatures to register for the elections.
Daily Maverick contacted Khumalo for comment, but he declined to speak to the media, saying he was not taking any interviews for now.
Daily Maverick asked MK party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication. DM
There must really be a God somewhere, this guy wants to save the constitutional court valuable time.
If anyone spots an honest, competent politician before 29 May, please let us know.
Really?
Helen Zille, John Steenhuizen, Allan Winde, Gordon Hill Lewis, Chris Pappas to name but a few.
So sad that people are so sidetracked by racial politics and “omg they told the truth and it really hurts” outcries to appreciate the hard work and achievement of these fine people and this fine party that stares us all in the face.
Being an honest caring politician I this country must literally be killing and I take my hat off to them all for hanging in there, staying the distance and doing everything possible to contain the criminal ANC excess – not to mention the EFF .
THANK you!
It is dangerous for capable leaders to stay in a distance when the country is possibly running on auto pilot, they must work harder to a point where we have a capable person behind the wheel Fanie, thanks for the encouragement they need it and whilst in the process they must get a campaign manager who can do a good job.
None
“Zuma’s conduct has brought the party into disrepute” The greatest clown in our political history.
The MKP is a rag tag bundle 0f corrupt and aimless misfits, mostly leftovers from the rotting carcase of the ANC. How on earth can South Africans even consider giving either of these parties the time of day. MKP is imploding and the ANC is dead in the water. All that is left to save us is the Multi Party Charter which has a good membership of competent politicians who are actually capable of pulling SA out of the pit toilet made by the ANC and EFF with MKP waiting in the wings to further the destruction of our country. Vote for the parties in the MPC if you want to survive.
Rae you are very generous in amounting the MK to something, however I differ with you on the multi party charter effectiveness, they are all bound by the common goal of getting rid of the ANC.
Individually all these parties fail in appealing to voters to win the majority votes without capitalizing on the ANC mistakes.
Gone are the days when school started in Sunday school, people knew from any early age that the angel that is not visibly proven to be a real angel struggles in saving people from the well known and proven devil.
This might back fire as those parties might want to ride on the known DA reputation, I know know John Steenhuisen has big shoulders to carry the load but I am not sure if his muscles will manage.
Imagine what a bunch of wallies we look like to outside observers. Democracy has been well and truly wasted on SA.
No comment.
Why hasn’t Duduzile been brought to book for her despicable behaviour concerning the July 2021 riots? Her father should still be behind bars and his boss-eyed son, Duduzane needs careful scrutiny and a lifestyle audit. The whole Zuma tribe needs to be flushed away, never to be heard of again.
Laetitia Kaula
I look up to former president Zuma. Here me my president when I say you have inspired me to learn from you in ways that I could not have learnt had you not been president or a political leader. Your struggle has shaped my outlook on life. The battles you have fought are so mind boggling and I don’t have words Mr president. I will not hide the fact that I am a staunch Mbeki fanatic. The Polokwane conference was a nightmare for me personally and I was devastated by your defeat of president Mbeki. But I am just saying, as an ordinary guy, I am relatively informed, considering the size of my cranium. So, I am baffled by the battles you find yourself involved. You fought against white domination, you fought against Mbekis domination, you fought against many a domination I cannot even mention because they are so many, not to mention this latest one with Mr Jabulne. Thank you for shaping my philosophy of myself, you have touched a potential candidate for the building of this nation of SA. But currently I am pursuing a woman, because I can’t lead SA before I lead a woman. A leader has to lead his wife first, before he can lead a nation, a leader who has not conquered a woman for the purposes of marriage and family planning is definitely not ditto lead the nation. I am a bachelor, with plans to get a woman who is going to be a Winnie, since I want to be the next Mandela. I know that I will not be the next Mandela, because Mandela was sent by A higher being who is beyond my imagination
What a farce. I feel a satirical novel coming on. But I suspect that it might be objectionable or not what we call politically correct. May the Cosmos carry us through this perpetual Mzantsi madness with courage and good grace. I grant that I (wh0 once marched, with banners, with the United Democratic Front) am now a mere and anxious WASP suburbanite….
Well, that happened much sooner than I expected it to. MK Implosion…they didnt even make it to the elections before starting to fall apart – I feel like this should be a record of some sort.
Definitely cannot even run a bath let alone a political party…. and certainly not a country! I read this article with circus music playing in the background.
I think it’s a lesson to everyone , this is the one man party
Night of the Long Knives…
What pray does Zuma-Sambudla New York Yankees “cammo-cap have to do with her marxist ideology….maybe she’s just a confused American baseball fan?…..Oh the hypocrisy on display from these hypocritical idiots! PS when does the NPA intend to hold her accountable for inciting sedition, rioting, looting and mayhem on our streets?
It is beyond belief how anyone with half a brain could vote for these imbeciles who cannot even get on amongst themselves. I can just hear Jacob Zuma saying ( Some of you are making allegations against me and I want to know who the ( Alligators are sic.)
I think the IEC is bias in handling this matter. If it accepted and dealt with the first letter from Khumalo that endorsed Zuma as the party president, it should’ve done the same with the second letter.