The landlord of the building rented by the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party in Polokwane for office space has sent a scathing letter to the organisation’s administrator, Thabisile Khumalo. It demands that Jacob Zuma’s party vacate the leased premises because of rent owed.
The MK Party entered into a lease agreement with J&M Woonstel (Pty) Ltd in February last year to rent offices based at Number 8 Albatros Centre in Polokwane, for the party to use as its provincial constituency offices.
J&M Woonstel signed the contract on January 28 2025, and the MK Party signed the same lease agreement on February 7 2025, to seal the pact.
Chased around for rent
However, in the four-page letter sent by J&M Woonstel’s legal representative, De Klerks Attorneys, the company states that the MK Party had failed on numerous occasions to fulfil terms and conditions of the contract, with its failure to pay rent to the point where Zuma’s party had to be reminded and chased around to pay rental fees.
The lawyers said in the letter that the first challenge the landlord had with the MK Party regarding the rental dispute was when De Klerks Attorneys had to send the letter of demand to the third biggest party on September 19, 2025, citing that the lease must be cancelled due to challenges of monies owed to J&M Woonstel.
These revelations come amid MKP secretary-general Sibonelo Nomvalo’s spirited attempt to paint a picture of financial stability within the official opposition.
Nomvalo on Monday publicly stated that the gwaza brigade did not owe anyone after this publication previously reported about their other debts.
In October, the MK Party got into a dispute with J&M Woonstel, and this resulted in back-and-forth drama that culminated in the termination of the lease.
Letters exchanged over rental dispute
The lawyers and the landlord had a protracted exchange of letters over the rental dispute to the point where J&M Woonstel’s legal representatives ended up telling the MK Party that the organisation had a tendency of paying rent late every month.
De Klerks Attorneys sent a letter to the MK Party on June 25 saying, “In respect of the outstanding rental for June 2026 and rental for July 2026. Kindly note that the rental for July 2026 is payable on or before 1 July 2026.”
However, it is alleged that the MK Party failed to honour its lease commitments, resulting in the landlord locking the entrance to the offices and holding the party’s furniture, printers, and other items hostage.
Sunday World published the story last week that J&M Woonstel had kicked MK Party after failing to pay rent at its rented offices in Polokwane.
De Klerks Attorneys said: “In view of the above, the lessor has decided he has had enough of receiving the monthly rent constantly late and having to follow up on payments. Therefore, the lessor has elected to cancel the verbal lease as set out in De Klerks email of 9 March 2026.”
July 31 deadline
The lawyers told the MK Party that it was given a notice to vacate the premises it had rented from J&M Woonstel by July 31.
“The lessor hereby gives the lessee one calendar month’s notice. The lessee is to vacate the premises by no later than closing of business on Monday, 31 July 2026.
The lessor will remove the lock from the main entrance to enable the lessee to obtain access to the premises in order to timeously remove the furniture, branding from the office walls and cleaning thereof. [Removal of] signage on the outside of the premises, [remove] personal and/or office effects and stationery,” said the lawyers.
“Kindly take note that irrespective of whether the lessee vacates the premises before end of July 2026 or not, the lessee will still be held liable for the monthly rental until the end of July 2026.
In event that the lessee does not vacate the premises by closing of business on July 31 2026, the lessor will instruct De Klerks to proceed with the necessary legal application to the court to evict the lessee,” added De Klerk Attorneys.
MK Party was also warned that when it removes its stuff from the building, it should not take the furniture of one, Mr Phahlane, he left it on the premises.
De Klerks Attorneys also told MK Party that it should leave the premises to the pristine condition it was in as on the date of occupation.
The letter was leaked to Sunday World on Tuesday, a day after the MK Party’s secretary general had, during a media briefing at Royal Majestic Hotel in Durban on Monday, labelled this journalist a “propagandist” and stated that there was no rental owed to any landlord.
Read the letter:
MK Party’s spokesperson Sifiso Mahlangu and the party’s Nomvalo did not respond to questions sent to them at the time of publishing the story.
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- The landlord of the building rented by the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party in Polokwane for office space has sent a scathing letter to the organisation’s administrator, Thabisile Khumalo.
- It demands that Jacob Zuma’s party vacate the leased premises because of rent owed.
- The MK Party entered into a lease agreement with J&M Woonstel (Pty) Ltd in February last year to rent offices based at Number 8 Albatros Centre in Polokwane, for the party to use as its provincial constituency offices.
- J&M Woonstel signed the contract on January 28 2025, and the MK Party signed the same lease agreement on February 7 2025, to seal the pact.
- Chased around for rent However, in the four-page letter sent by J&M Woonstel’s legal representative, De Klerks Attorneys, the company states that the MK Party had failed on numerous occasions to fulfil terms and conditions of the contract, with its failure to pay rent to the point where Zuma’s party had to be reminded and chased around to pay rental fees.
