Zuma fires Zwane and Shongwe, reinstates Maseko as MK SG

The musical chairs in the MK Party continues relentlessly as party president Jacob Zuma removes Arthur Zwane as a secretary general again.

Zwane was the party’s secretary general after he was appointed. And he only spent three weeks on the hot seat, before Zuma fired him.

Zuma thereafter appointed the former Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital acting CEO, Dr Sifiso Maseko as the new SG. However, his stay was short-lived when he was removed from the position a few days after being at the helm.

Maseko was thrown into the party’s human resource department. And Zwane was brought back as SG.

Reinstated once again

However, on Wednesday, Zuma turned the tables again. He reinstated Maseko to the position of party SG and fired Zwane once again.

Another senior leader who was sent packing by Zuma is the party’s chief of staff and deputy SG, Thulani Shongwe.

In the letter sent to Maseko by Zuma on Wednesday, the former ANC president stated that he wished to reconfirm the letter that he sent to him on June 28, when he appointed him as the MK Party’s SG.

“Please accept my sincere apologies for the confusion caused by some in the party to deliberately mislead and undermine my decision to appoint you to this very crucial role in the uMkhonto Wesizwe Party. I am very concerned about the media release which became the source of this confusion. Therefore I … order you to conduct an investigation on the source of the media release and as to who authorised it,” reads Zuma’s letter of Maseko’s reinstatement.

Zuma also instructed Maseko to provide him with a detailed report of his investigations by Saturday (yesterday).

Private meeting 

“I want to assure you that my office will deal decisively with all individuals who colluded to interfere,” said Zuma.

Sunday World understands that before Zuma penned the letter to Maseko, he actually met with him in Gauteng. The discussion regarding any possibilities for Maseko to become the party’s SG again took place at this meeting.

On July 11, MK Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela released a statement announcing that Zwane was back as SG. And that Maseko would be sent to human resources department.

In the letter that Zuma penned to fire Zwane again from his position, he did not mince his words. He told Zwane that he referred him to the letter he wrote to him (Zwane) on June 28 2024.

“I, Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma, as President of the uMkhonto Wesizwe Party (MKP) expressed my decision to you to relieve you from the position of Secretary General of the Party. Therefore, I reconfirm my earlier decision to you and thus expect you to cooperate fully with my decision and desist from continuing to serve in this capacity. Furthermore, owing to your conduct of misleading the party, I reserve the right to expel you from the Party. With immediate effect,” said Zuma to Zwane.

Shongwe removed, now ordinary party member

As for Shongwe, Zuma told him that he was removing him from both positions he held within the party. He reduced him to an ordinary member.

Insiders claimed that nobody had told him on why Maseko was removed from his position. He also wanted answers, and that heads will roll after investigations had revealed people who were responsible for misleading him and the party.

When contacted for comment, Maseko said that he had received a letter of reinstatement from Zuma.

“Yes I did receive the letter from President Zuma to reinstate me. However, I would like to reserve my comment,” Maseko said.

Comment from Zwane and Shongwe will be published once received.

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