A fierce political battle is raging within former president Jacob Zuma’s MK Party, centred around a R7-million legislature account in Mpumalanga.
The conflict pits ousted provincial leader Mary Phadi against national party officials who seek to replace her with former public protector Adv Busisiwe Mkhwebane.
Phadi, known for her pivotal role in securing 16.97% of the vote for MKP in 2024, has been twice expelled from her position but remains the recognised leader of MKP in Mpumalanga.
Her tenure gives her control over party funds, a situation that national leaders are contesting as they attempt to install Mkhwebane, who defected from the EFF, as the provincial leader.
Legislature spokesperson Paul Mbenyane confirmed the existence of the account, and the R7 million deposited into the facility so far, stating: “The legislature is legally bound to continue depositing funds into the same account where she [Phadi] remains one of the signatories — until we are legally directed to change that.”
Phadi’s journey from businesswoman to an influential political figure has not been without turbulence.
Despite her crucial role in the party’s electoral success in 2024, she found herself at odds with MKP’s national leadership.
The friction culminated in her removal in favour of Mkhwebane, a strategic move as the party sought to attract high-profile recruits.
Determined to retain her position, Phadi secured a court order reinstating her membership and leadership position, freezing Mkhwebane out.
The legal win complicates MKP’s internal dynamics as the party prepares for the 2026 local elections. Forced to seek donations, Mkhwebane’s faction faces a financial hurdle.
Despite her court victory, Phadi’s actions did not sit well with the party’s national leadership. A February 27 letter from MKP secretary general Floyd Shivambu informed her of her second expulsion.
The decision, made during a meeting attended by Zuma, cited her bypassing party mechanisms and resorting to legal action as primary reasons for her removal.
“Following the national officials meeting held on February 19, at the Skye Coastlands Hotel, please be informed that the meeting resolved to cancel your membership of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party as provided for in Section 5 of the party constitution,” Shivambu wrote, accusing Phadi of undermining the party through legal battles rather than political engagement.
Short of calling her defiant, she was told the main reason for her second expulsion.
“The cancellation decision was taken against the background of your previous conduct and decisions to take the organisation to court without exhausting all internal remedies,” wrote Shivambu.
“This is a clear violation of party discipline, and we cannot allow members to undermine the movement through legal battles instead of political engagement.”
In a bid to wrest control of the legislature funds, the MKP national leadership requested the Mpumalanga legislature to redirect future deposits to a new account controlled by Mkhwebane.
However, the request was denied due to existing court orders.
Mbenyane stated: “There is a court order in place that clearly states Phadi remains a member of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party and their leader in the legislature.”
He emphasised the legislature’s obligation to abide by legal directives pending further court rulings or a concession from Phadi.
Despite these setbacks, the MKP national leadership remains committed to installing Mkhwebane as the official provincial leader, tasked with unifying the factions amid preparations for upcoming elections — a challenging task given the ongoing conflict over the R7-million funds.
Phadi remains defiant, dismissing her expulsion as legally untenable.
She argues that her membership had already been terminated when she initiated legal proceedings, thus legitimising her challenge.
“When I took the party to court in December, my membership had already been terminated,” she explained, asserting her continued role as a signatory to the account, which she emphasises is for party activities, not personal gain.
Phadi revealed that three legal teams had been engaged to challenge her court victory, but two have withdrawn.
“These are serious legal matters,” she stated. “For now, we will continue the work our members and supporters elected us to do.”
As the internal struggle persists, MKP leaders are determined to solidify Mkhwebane’s leadership in Mpumalanga, a situation that remains fraught with legal challenges and factional disputes, casting uncertainty over the party’s strategy for the 2026 local government elections in the province.
