Mmabatho Mokoena-Zondi during the 2026 State of the Nation Address Debate at the Parliamentary Dome on 18 February. (Photo: Ziyaad Douglas / Gallo Images) uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party chief whip Mmabatho Mokoena-Zondi, who appeared in the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 28 May, facing a count of fraud and an alternative count of theft amounting to R233,000, has a previous fraud conviction dating back to 2016.
Before arguments in her bail application got into full swing, prosecutor Noloyiso Damba informed the court that he had received new information about the previous fraud conviction.
Damba told the court that Mokoena-Zondi had also previously been implicated in a second matter, although those charges were later withdrawn.
The MK party chief whip was released on R30,000 bail with strict conditions: she must surrender her passport within 24 hours, live at her registered address, avoid any further criminal activity, and refrain from contacting witnesses until the case concludes.
Mokoena-Zondi’s position in Parliament could be in jeopardy, with MK leaders set to meet party president Jacob Zuma to assess “the full circumstances surrounding the allegations and subsequent charges”.
The State alleges that between August and December 2024, she recruited four individuals as party researchers and forced them to surrender 50% to 60% of their salaries, claiming the funds were contributions to Zuma’s legal fees. According to the Hawks (the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation), the scheme defrauded the complainants of R233,317.99.
Her defence attorney, Sibusiso Sankqela, noted that information regarding his client’s criminal profile was received at the last minute and would require amendments to her deposed affidavit. Sankqela indicated that Mokoena-Zondi intended to plead not guilty to all charges.
Cash for Nkandla
One of the key points raised by Mokoena-Zondi in her affidavit is her assertion that the contributions formed part of a voluntary initiative contributing towards the upkeep of Zuma’s Nkandla home as a gesture of appreciation and solidarity.
The Hawks, however, have said the money was intended to help pay Zuma’s legal fees, presumably related to his ongoing arms deal case.
Refuting the allegations levelled against her, Mokoena-Zondi explained that on or about 15 August 2024, she convened a meeting with newly appointed support staff attached to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), where she was the party leader at the time.
During the meeting, she proposed what she described as a voluntary contribution initiative.
/file/attachments/orphans/IMG_20260528_140644_859156.jpg "Mmabatho Mokoena-Zondi, chief whip of the MK party, appears in the Cape Town Magistrates' Court on Thursday, 28 May. (Photo: Vincent Cruywagen)")
In her affidavit, she underlined that: “Participation was never presented as compulsory, nor was it linked to employment, favour, advancement, workplace standing or continued appointment. No staff members were threatened, pressured, intimidated or coerced into participating.”
She said some participants elected to proceed immediately, and the first collection occurred on the payday following the meeting, with payments initially made in cash.
However, she said she later became concerned about the practical and safety implications of personally handling and storing cash, particularly given the travel demands associated with parliamentary work between Cape Town and KwaZulu-Natal.
She then requested that future contributions be deposited into her TymeBank account.
“I did not at any stage regard myself as the owner or beneficiary to these contributions,” she said, “nor did I believe that I was administering a scheme designed to unlawfully enrich myself or prejudice any participants. I did not regard the use of my account as unlawful.”
She claimed that once the contributions were received, she calculated the amounts collected and arranged for the equivalent value to be made available in cash for onward transmission to KwaZulu-Natal and ultimately to Zuma’s Nkandla home.
Enter Zuma
Mokoena-Zondi acknowledged that certain concerns later emerged regarding the manner in which the initiative was administered.
She said that, because the initiative was informal and private in nature, rather than established as a formal party fundraising programme, she did not regard it as necessary for it to be administered through official MK party structures.
She said the first red flag emerged in or around January 2025 when she was informed that a criminal case had been opened against her by the party’s treasurer-general, Menzi Magubane, and she was approached to provide an affidavit.
“This development came as a shock to me. I had no prior engagements with the treasurer-general,” she stated.
The MK party has confirmed Magubane opened the case. He was removed from his position in November 2024.
The matter subsequently became the subject of internal party disciplinary proceedings, during which, according to Mokoena-Zondi, Zuma issued a decree noting that all internal processes had been undertaken and that all charges against her were withdrawn.
Nevertheless, the collection process was ultimately discontinued. Mokoena-Zondi said she obtained a loan and contacted all individuals regarding repayments to them.
She stressed that the repayments should not be interpreted as an admission of wrongdoing, but rather as an indication of her desire to reduce conflict and discomfort surrounding the matter.
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ED_561240.jpg "The leader of the MK party, Jacob Zuma. (Photo: Darren Stewart / Gallo Images)")
On 7 January, she said, Zuma submitted an affidavit formally withdrawing his previous affidavit in its entirety, claiming it had been based on incomplete and incorrect information.
The new affidavit stated that the treasurer-general lacked the proper authorisation to lodge the complaint, and that the matter had been resolved and required no further investigation.
She added that the MK party’s deputy president, John Hlophe, intervened on 7 February to push for the formal withdrawal of the allegations. However, Mokoena-Zondi claimed these efforts were largely ignored, ultimately leading to her arrest.
‘Money didn’t go to MK’
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila briefed the media after the proceedings, outlining the State’s case against Mokoena-Zondi. He explained that she allegedly recruited individuals for employment within the party and then pressured them to make “donations” to the organisation.
“It did come out at the end that these monies never reached the organisation, but were used by her for herself. That is why we are charging her with fraud. She defrauded four people,” he said.
MK party spokesperson Sifiso Mahlangu said, “Given that the complainants are employees serving within the party’s support structures, the MK party believes it is imperative that all parliamentary, legal and internal organisational processes unfold in a fair and transparent manner.”
Mokoena-Zondi is expected to return to the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court on 18 June, when her case will be officially transferred to the Bellville Serious Commercial Crimes Court. DM