Buoyed by being the majority party in KwaZulu-Natal, the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) used it first anniversary celebration to convince it’s supporters that it will be the the government in 2029.
Addressing party supporters from all over the province, party president and former head of state, Jacob Zuma, called on the black majority to rally behind one party.
He said the MKP was the only party that was a true representation of the black majority.
Zuma says MKP will govern after 2029 election
Zuma said that the indications were that the one-year-old party would be the new government in 2029.
“We can [have] our own differences, but this time we must agree that we can only defeat the white oppressive regime when we unite as blacks behind one black party,” said Zuma.
On Sunday, the MKP took it’s one year celebration to Durban’s Moses Mabhida stadium. It was in this province that the ANC splinter showed it mettle orchestrating the demise of the former governing party.
The young party overhauled the ANC in the province
The ANC had a mediocre showing in KZN falling from the 54% of electoral support in 2019 to a meagre 17% in May.
On the other hand, MKP came out tops with 45.3% but was outmanoeuvred by a Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) comprising the IFP, ANC, DA and the NFP.
The former President addressed the gathering mostly in his mother tongue. He said the GPU “unholy alliance” would soon crumble, saying the MKP was the future government of the country.
“Everybody knows that our votes were stolen. But the people will speak again in 2029. Our time has come – the people shall govern,” he said.
The MKP also commands the status of official opposition in the national assembly with 58 members of parliament.
Party banks on the Electoral Court ruling in its favour
The party has also made it known that it will have a bigger majority in KwaZulu-Natal by April next year.
The formation banks its ambitious case it has lodged with the elections body, the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) where it will argue mass vote rigging in the recent election.
According to the party, were it was not for the collusion of some IEC officials, the MKP would have been in charge especially in KZN. It has claimed it was robber of the outright majority in the province because the IEC system was manipulated.
Landslide win in eThekwini
EThekwini was among the voting districts which the MK recorded a landslide victory. It also topped the voting in most municipalities in the province.
“All I plead for is that in the next coming election we unite as blacks and take power back,” said Zuma.
Members of the so called progressive parties such as the African Transformation Movement had joined in to celebrate with the MKP at its invitation.
The invitation had been extended to the EFF, which has since made it known that MKP was its enemy number one.
Senior EFF leaders have left for the MKP
In the past few weeks, the red berets have lost senior leaders to the MKP. Included in that list is incumbent MKP secretary general Floyd Shivambu, previous deputy president of the EFF.
On Monday, the now one year old party will commemorate Reconciliation Day with a gala dinner.
This week it emerged that it will cost guests R2 million to rub shoulders with Zuma at this do.
Shivambu announced that a plethora of business people had wanted to sit next to Zuma.
The party has also announced that it is eyeing key municipalities in KZN ahead of the 2026 local government elections. It listed EThekwini, Msunduzi, City of uMhlathuze and KwaDukuza, all considered economic power houses in the province, as targets.
