A powerful bloc of traditional leaders has cut ties with former president Jacob Zuma’s Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, warning that the 2026 local government elections will reflect their discontent.
The Transvaal Kingdom State, which represents royal houses across Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Limpopo, and North West, announced on Tuesday that it was officially severing all relations with the MK Party.
The traditional leaders accuse the MK Party of repeatedly humiliating amakhosi and treating them as “political pawns”.
The final blow came on Sunday when dozens of monarchs were invited to Zuma’s Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal, only to be turned away by police officers, who allegedly told them that the former president was unavailable despite earlier confirmations.
“We were invited to the Zuma homestead for a meeting with the former president. We travelled from different provinces, only to be told by SA Police Service members that Zuma was not in Nkandla and would not be seeing us,” reads a statement issued by the Transvaal Kingdom State.
The traditional leaders say they received a confusing series of communications, including a postponement on August 1 followed by a confirmation that the meeting was still on.
Leaders complain about poor treatment
They interpret the fiasco as the latest in a string of slights.
“This pattern of behaviour has been consistent across all provinces, demonstrating a profound lack of regard for the dignity and significance of traditional leadership,” the statement reads.
The group includes King Ndzundza II (Ndzundza kaMusi Kingdom), King Lekhuleni (Mohwaduba Royal Kingdom), King Ntsele, Queen Sheba, King Manana, and the AmaNguni Royal Kingdom.
They operate under the collective banner of the Transvaal Kingdom State of Monarchs.
The leaders say it is not the first time the MK Party has belittled traditional leadership. They cite their poor treatment at two major party events, including the launch of the People’s Mandate at Orlando Stadium in May 2024 and the one-year anniversary celebration at Moses Mabhida Stadium in December 2024.
“Amakhosi were placed on plastic chairs at the very back, far from the stage, while junior MK members sat in the VIP section,” one royal source told Sunday World.
MK benefitting from traditional legitimacy
Now, with less than a year to go before the 2026 local government elections, the monarchs are making their stance known and say voters in their communities are taking note.
“We have learnt a valuable lesson, particularly in the context of the 2026 local government elections. The treatment we received is a harbinger of what we can expect if the MK takes over in our jurisdictions and territories,” the statement warned.
They accuse the MK Party of attempting to benefit from traditional legitimacy while refusing to show respect to the custodians of it.
“This continued association with the MK Party would result in the erosion of our dignity and the diminishment of the thrones of our forefathers. That, we will not allow.”
The traditional leaders are expected to discuss their complaints and make it clear whether they will support a different political formation at a press conference set for September 1.
