MK Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela has signalled his openness to stepping into the role of secretary-general, a position left vacant following Floyd Shivambu’s ousting earlier this month.
Speaking to Sunday World this week, Ndhlela stressed that he would not turn down the role if asked to serve. “I’m a cadre of the movement. If the structures deploy me, I will accept the responsibility. I’m not campaigning for any position because I am not here for positions, but I will serve where the organisation calls me to,” he said.
Ndhlela’s appetite for power comes as a faction comprised of the MK Party’s founding members intensify their push for him to take on the secretary-general role, seeking to ensure their interests are represented at the party’s top table after they have secured dominant influence in parliament.
Calls for Ndhlela to step in – predating Shivambu’s appointment last November – have now gained renewed momentum since the latter’s axing earlier this month. His lobby argues that its aim is to restore the party’s founding principles and push back against what it describes as a “creeping takeover” by former EFF leaders.
The MK Party, led by former president Jacob Zuma, became the country’s third-largest political party in the 2024 general elections, overtaking the EFF. But the victory has brought with it deepening internal fractures, primarily over the party’s direction and leadership race.
Party insiders have expressed their support for Ndhlela as one of several candidates being considered for the role, along with Phumlani Mfeka and MK’s head of elections, Bongani Baloyi.
“The position is being highly contested, but Ndhlela definitely has the attention of many now that the president has seen what we have been saying about Floyd. We also believe we have his [Zuma’s] attention now,” one party insider said.
Party insiders have said that the faction led by Zuma’s daughter, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, views Ndhlela as a stabilising figure who represents the party’s original membership.
The same faction is allegedly behind efforts to sideline individuals who joined the MK from other political formations and were later promoted to leadership positions. The removal of Shivambu has been widely seen by insiders as the first step in a broader power struggle.
But speaking on Wednesday, Shivambu warned Zuma to watch out against his close circles who are allegedly misleading him. “The president of the MK Party, whom I dearly and so deeply respect, is surrounded by political scoundrels, who opportunistically use his kindness and sometimes gullibility that comes with age to write down fake intelligence reports to influence wrong decisions,” he said.
Sources claim that Shivambu, along with other former EFF leaders such as Mzwanele Manyi and Busisiwe Mkhwebane, are viewed as “outsiders” who have benefited from proximity to Zuma but do not reflect the party’s founding vision.
“There was a deliberate move to get Floyd out of the way so that Ndhlela can be put in,” said one national executive member.
“This is about reclaiming the party from people who never believed in it from the beginning.”
Manyi, who served as chief whip, was removed from his position in parliament. Shortly after, Shivambu was also ousted.
One source said the faction, perceived as aligned with Zuma’s daughter, is also scrutinising the roles of Baloyi and parliamentary caucus leader Colleen Makhubele. Both joined the MK from smaller parties, Xiluva and the South African Rainbow Alliance, respectively.
Another insider said, “If you don’t align with the dominant faction, you’re marked. That’s why Floyd was removed. This issue is about power consolidation, not just ideological differences.”
When asked whether he felt he was being positioned by a faction, Ndhlela declined to comment, saying he only remains “guided by the leadership”.
MK’s head of presidency, Magasela Mzobe, and members of the national leadership did not respond to repeated requests for comment. Shivambu also did not answer calls or messages from Sunday World.
