The jostling and wrangling in the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) in KwaZulu-Natal has reached boiling point.
At the centre of the schism is a desire by several party officials who want Floyd Shivambu, the MKP secretary-general, to be chucked out of his influential position.
Shivambu has, for some time since his arrival at the one-year-old political party, been facing fierce critics.
At some point, Shivambu butted heads with Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, the daughter of MKP president and former head of state Jacob Zuma.
Zuma-Sambudlae was forced to apologise to Shivambu after she hurled insults at him.
In the latest round of skirmish directed at Shivambu, there is an emergence of a cabal within the provincial legislature where some members of the provincial legislature (MPLs) representing the MKP are baying for Shivambu’s scalp.
The party has 37 members in the provincial legislature courtesy of its 45% vote share during the 2024 May general elections.
Emergence of a parallel caucus
“Since the’return’ of the three suspended, we have seen the emergence of a parallel caucus in the legislature led by former chief whip and commander Thobani [Zuma].
“In the meeting, they made it clear that they don’t recognise the MKP constitution. They don’t recognise the SG [secretary-general], head of presidency, and the chief whip of MKP,” reads a scathing letter addressed to party leader Zuma.
The three who were on suspension include Thobani Zuma, Kwazi Mbanjwa, and Sifiso Zuma.
Sunday World understands that Mervyn Dirks, the party’s chief whip in the legislature and the author of the letter, believes the plan was to undermine the new leadership changes that MKP has effected in its structures.
This included bringing Shivambu on board and subsequently Zuma’s decision to endorse him as the engine of the party.
“They are only recognising Kwazi Mbanjwa as their only chief whip. They demand that Thobani and others be immediately reinstated.
“They further demand a meeting with president Zuma to dress the above. It is clear that the above is well-orchestrated to undermine the decision-making of the MKP,” Dirks stated.
Suspicion of infiltration by rivals
So serious is the fightback that 19 of the 37 MKP MPLs convened a special meeting where they barred Dirks and Inkosi Phathisizwe Chiliza, the party leader in the legislature, from attending.
Mbanjwa, a former chief whip, was suspended in 2024 together with Zuma on allegations that legislature funds had disappeared under their watch.
While the cracks and hostilities in the ANC splinter party have been downplayed, some senior leaders in the party harbour a belief that the formation has been infiltrated by its political rivals.
This is an attempt to neutralise the party ahead of the crucial municipal elections in 2026.
The MKP started well in its maiden elections, winning KwaZulu-Natal with close to 2-million declared votes.
It was, however, muscled out of power when the ANC, DA, IFP, and NFP banded together to form a governing pact under the umbrella of the government of provincial unity.
Very fascinating. Who thought that Floyd Shivambu would be welcomed by MKP members with open arms.
MK party leadership remain intact. The recruitment campaign is going ad infinitum.
MK is going to surprise many coming municipal elections.
MK party is the future.
Propaganda galore, hhay shame i media
It’s always being documented that MK Zuma Party is only a tribal party with no backbone only to continue causing havoc and loot the state funds for their own benefits.
Since it’s inception what policies do they have that we can say this is a future party or just opportunist with no direction