The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) has executed a dramatic U-turn, reinstating John Hlophe to his powerful positions as first deputy president and parliamentary leader months after suspending him in a bruising internal clash.
In a circular dated March 18, 2026, secretary-general Sibonelo Nomvalo confirmed the decision, stating that Hlophe “resumes his duties with immediate effect”.
Nomvalo said the move followed an internal process triggered by Hlophe’s suspension, which saw the party appoint an independent legal panel to probe allegations against him.
“The president [Jacob Zuma] … appointed an independent legal panel led by an advocate to investigate the allegations,” Nomvalo wrote.
He added that the process included direct engagement with Hlophe: “A bilateral meeting was held with Dr Hlophe in which all the allegations were ventilated at length.”
According to the letter, it was after these engagements that the party leadership moved to reinstate him.
“The president thereafter took a decision to immediately reinstate Dr Hlophe,” Nomvalo said.
Decision to remove Colleen Makhubele
Hlophe’s suspension in November stemmed from a high-stakes internal dispute that exposed cracks at the top of the party.
The flashpoint was his unilateral decision to remove chief whip Colleen Makhubele and replace her with Des van Rooyen. However, party leader Zuma, who was in Burkina Faso in West Africa, did not approve the move.
The decision triggered a swift backlash. The MK Party leadership overturned the reshuffle and reinstated Makhubele.
Since then, Makhubele has departed from the party and is currently working as a presenter for talk radio station Power FM.
Hlophe was placed on suspension pending an investigation into his conduct.
The saga unfolded against a backdrop of wider tensions within the parliamentary caucus, with disputes over leadership authority and internal accountability threatening to destabilise the party.
The party has not disclosed the findings of the independent panel or clarified whether Hlophe was cleared of wrongdoing.
