Sparks are expected to fly when the MK Party’s national officials and national high command (NHC) meet to discuss the internal turmoil that rocked the party this week.
In a week of high drama, MK Party MP Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, who is also the daughter of party leader Jacob Zuma, insulted and swore at secretary-general Floyd Shivambu publicly.
Zuma-Sambudla ended up apologising to Shivambu after initially offering a lame apology in which she did not even mention his name. The outburst by Zuma-Sambudla has further deepened doubts over whether all is well in the party’s top echelons.
MK Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela downplayed the situation that plunged the party into the headlines, saying there was “no crisis” in the organisation.
Ndhlela said the matter had been put to bed but would most likely form the agenda of the next meeting of MKP’s top eight, which recommends to the NHC.
“There is no crisis. Our enemies are longing for a crisis in MKP and want to sensationalise and blow things out of proportion to create the impression that there is chaos, even when there is none,” Ndhlela told Sunday World.
“Commander Duduzile has apologised, and that matter is closed. But obviously these issues will get discussed internally at the next national officials meeting, who then recommend to the national high command, and these matters are dealt with there.”
He could not say when the next meeting of the national officials would be held.
Zuma-Sambudla’s outbursts on X (formerly Twitter) was not the only drama to rock the party this week.
In parliament, the two highest-ranking officials, the leader of the MK Party’s caucus Dr John Hlophe and chief whip Mzwanele Manyi, were at each other’s throats.
The two allegedly floated like butterflies and stung each other like bees, in an exchange of blows resulting from a fallout following Hlophe’s response to the Sona speech.
It is believed that the speech was handed to Hlophe by Manyi, who said such was sanctioned by the organisation’s head honchos being
Zuma and Shivambu.
But apparently Zuma was unhappy about the quality of the speech, which was deemed to be all over the place and totally irrelevant to the occasion of Sona.
As a result of the fallout from the Sona debate speech, it was reported by News24 this week that Manyi and Hlophe almost became Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield during a caucus meeting.
Hlophe reportedly grabbed Manyi by the neck and accused him of betraying him by giving him the lame speech.
The party came out to rubbish the claims, downplaying the altercation as “internal party discussions”, while the implicated parties, namely Hlophe and Manyi, elected to remain mum.
Speculation is rife of factions forming within the MK Party.
In a statement, Ndhlela said there was no reason for panic.
“MK Party wants to state that, against the wishes of those who fear the power of the MK Party and attempts to drive a wedge amongst our leadership, we remain united and steadfast in our mission to serve the people of South Africa.”
