The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) has abruptly suspended the collection and redemption of food vouchers from a national retailer for its volunteers countrywide.
According to the party, the problem surfaced after a technical problem on the retailer’s side, which disrupted the processing of the vouchers.
In a directive letter dated November 3, when the volunteers were already in full swing working on special votes days, the party’s office of the acting secretary-general addressed a memo to all provincial coordinators.
READ: Elections 2026 | MK Party wins its first KZN municipality, snatching former ANC stronghold
Through her directive, acting secretary-general Lindiwe Mtshali’s office instructed its structures across the country to stop members who are mainly volunteers of the party for elections from visiting the provider’s stores to collect or redeem their food vouchers until further notice.
The instruction was communicated to provincial coordinators, who were tasked with urgently informing regional and local structures to prevent confusion and unnecessary trips to stores.
The development raises questions about the administration and distribution of the food vouchers, although the party’s internal communication does not disclose the number of beneficiaries affected or the total value of the vouchers involved.
Retailer’s technical problem
In the memorandum, the party said the disruption originated from a technical issue on the retailer’s side, which was affecting the processing and redemption of food vouchers.
“The Office of the Secretary General wishes to bring to the attention of all Provincial Coordinators that a technical issue has been identified on the retailer’s side, which is currently affecting the processing and redemption of food vouchers,” the communication reads.
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The party consequently directed its provincial leadership to ensure that members and beneficiaries did not proceed to the retailer’s outlets while the problem remained unresolved.
“All Provincial Coordinators are hereby requested to urgently communicate with their respective provincial, regional and local structures and advise them to temporarily refrain from proceeding to (the retailer’s) stores to redeem or collect their vouchers until further notice,” the memorandum states.
No resumption date given
The MKP said the matter had been brought to the attention of the retailer’s technical team, which was working to resolve the problem.
However, the party did not provide a timeframe for when voucher collections and redemptions would resume.
It assured its structures that another communication would be issued once the technical challenge had been resolved and the system was ready to process the vouchers again.
“A further communication will be issued as soon as the matter has been resolved and voucher redemption can resume,” the memorandum states.
The directive also placed responsibility on provincial coordinators to ensure that the suspension reached all relevant party structures to avoid inconvenience and confusion among members.
It remains unclear how many party members or beneficiaries have been affected by the disruption, how long the technical problem had been experienced and whether the retailer has provided the party with an estimated resolution date.
The party’s directive makes clear that voucher collection and redemption must remain on hold until further notice.
However some of the volunteers who were told to stop going to the retailer to get their food vouchers told Sunday World that they were treated badly by the party as they alleged that they had to work with empty stomach.
“What I can tell you is that the leadership of the MK Party is a mess. We had to work without eating since Tuesday as we were told to stop getting our food at there were technical challenges with food vouchers. Based on that some of us had to ask our families to provide us with some cash for food,” said an angry MK Party volunteer in Durban.
Another volunteer from Bloemfontein also raised his dissatisfaction as stated that the problem of the party was that those in charge were clueless about being leaders.
“As it happened, we are led by fools who do not know what they are doing. What on earth do you want people who are volunteers to work without being provided with food or water? Clearly we have been taken for a ride,” he said.
MK Party’s spokesperson Sifiso Mhalangu had not responded to a request for comment at the time of going to publication.
- The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) has suspended the collection and redemption of food vouchers from a national retailer for its volunteers due to a technical problem on the retailer's side.
- Acting secretary-general Lindiwe Mtshali issued a directive on November 3 instructing provincial coordinators to stop volunteers from visiting stores to collect or redeem food vouchers until further notice.
- The party's memorandum stated that the retailer's technical team is working to resolve the issue but did not provide a timeline for resumption of voucher services.
- Some volunteers have expressed dissatisfaction, claiming they had to work on empty stomachs and request support from their families due to the suspension of food vouchers.
- The MKP has not disclosed the number of beneficiaries affected, the total value of vouchers involved, or provided a response from party spokesperson Sifiso Mhalangu.
The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) has abruptly suspended the collection and redemption of food vouchers from a national retailer for its volunteers countrywide.
According to the party, the problem surfaced after a technical problem on the retailer's side, which disrupted the processing of the vouchers.
In a directive letter dated November 3, when the volunteers were already in full swing working on special votes days, the party’s office of the acting secretary-general addressed a memo to all provincial coordinators.
READ: Elections 2026 | MK Party wins its first KZN municipality, snatching former ANC stronghold
Through her directive, acting secretary-general Lindiwe Mtshali’s office instructed its structures across the country to stop members who are mainly volunteers of the party for elections from visiting the provider's stores to collect or redeem their food vouchers until further notice.
The instruction was communicated to provincial coordinators, who were tasked with urgently informing regional and local structures to prevent confusion and unnecessary trips to stores.
The development raises questions about the administration and distribution of the food vouchers, although the party's internal communication does not disclose the number of beneficiaries affected or the total value of the vouchers involved.
In the memorandum, the party said the disruption originated from a technical issue on the retailer's side, which was affecting the processing and redemption of food vouchers.
"The Office of the Secretary General wishes to bring to the attention of all Provincial Coordinators that a technical issue has been identified on the retailer's side, which is currently affecting the processing and redemption of food vouchers," the communication reads.
The party consequently directed its provincial leadership to ensure that members and beneficiaries did not proceed to the retailer's outlets while the problem remained unresolved.
"All Provincial Coordinators are hereby requested to urgently communicate with their respective provincial, regional and local structures and advise them to temporarily refrain from proceeding to (the retailer's) stores to redeem or collect their vouchers until further notice," the memorandum states.
The MKP said the matter had been brought to the attention of the retailer's technical team, which was working to resolve the problem.
However, the party did not provide a timeframe for when voucher collections and redemptions would resume.
It assured its structures that another communication would be issued once the technical challenge had been resolved and the system was ready to process the vouchers again.
"A further communication will be issued as soon as the matter has been resolved and voucher redemption can resume," the memorandum states.
The directive also placed responsibility on provincial coordinators to ensure that the suspension reached all relevant party structures to avoid inconvenience and confusion among members.
It remains unclear how many party members or beneficiaries have been affected by the disruption, how long the technical problem had been experienced and whether the retailer has provided the party with an estimated resolution date.
The party's directive makes clear that voucher collection and redemption must remain on hold until further notice.
However some of the volunteers who were told to stop going to the retailer to get their food vouchers told Sunday World that they were treated badly by the party as they alleged that they had to work with empty stomach.
“What I can tell you is that the leadership of the MK Party is a mess. We had to work without eating since Tuesday as we were told to stop getting our food at there were technical challenges with food vouchers. Based on that some of us had to ask our families to provide us with some cash for food,” said an angry MK Party volunteer in Durban.
Another volunteer from Bloemfontein also raised his dissatisfaction as stated that the problem of the party was that those in charge were clueless about being leaders.
“As it happened, we are led by fools who do not know what they are doing. What on earth do you want people who are volunteers to work without being provided with food or water? Clearly we have been taken for a ride,” he said.
MK Party’s spokesperson Sifiso Mhalangu had not responded to a request for comment at the time of going to publication.
