Former president Jacob Zuma insists that the uMkhonto weSizwe Party is his brainchild, although he allegedly sent Jabulani Khumalo to officially register the political party.
Zuma made this statement outside the Johannesburg High Court after making an appearance in a case in which the deposed MK Party founder, Khumalo, is contesting Zuma’s legitimacy as the party leader.
After stepping back from public office, he said, he asked himself what had changed in the ANC’s vision for the nation since he first joined the group, and that is when the idea to form the MK Party emerged.
Zuma stated that after some thorough thought, he realised that the ANC was under the leadership of “corrupt” leaders and decided he would form his party under a disguise.
This is how Khumalo came through.
Avoiding attention from opposition
He said Khumalo and his brother would often visit his homestead and talk about politics. Of all the people he would discuss politics with, he considered him to be the right candidate to register the political party.
During this time, said the former statesman, he wanted to keep a distance from the identity of the party to avoid attention from opposition parties.
He said he knew that his name and face would grab the public’s attention and that other political leaders would come for the MK Party even before it found a voice.
At this point, according to Zuma, Khumalo was obedient and still listened to all the advice given to him, including keeping his mouth shut on who the leader was — unless he was challenged, and only then could he say Zuma sent him.
During this time, he was still getting his plan in place and brushed off the original ideas the ANC had for improving the country and the lives of black people.
Zuma acknowledged the ANC as the political party that made headlines for advocating for black people’s rights and showed off its power during apartheid.
He said black people were confident in the ANC, and some, including himself, went to jail fighting for the liberation of black people.
IEC stole the MK Party’s votes
He said such an organisation could not be handed over to “criminals that steal money and put it under the mattress”.
The ANC, Zuma stated, was grounded in helping people, and it could not be ignored that comrades also served jail time in the hope that black people would have their freedom.
“I didn’t want to tell them this when I left. This is why I am saying we cannot lose the ANC.
“I am still having this conversation with them about how they cannot tell me to leave because I said I would not vote for them; I would vote for uMkhonto weSizwe.
“We won, but they robbed us; we will still sort that out.”
Zuma also said he wanted to make it clear that the IEC rigged the general elections, alleging that the commission stole the MK Party’s votes to distribute to other parties.
