A bitter power struggle has erupted at the top of the MK Party after secretary-general Sibonelo Nomvalo accused a senior party leader of waging a campaign to remove him from office.
In a formal complaint to second deputy president Tony Yengeni, Nomvalo alleges that KwaZulu-Natal caucus leader Inkosi Phathisizwe Chiliza has been spreading claims that he is controlled by a senior politician from a rival party, received gifts from the politician and should be removed as secretary-general.
The complaint, dated June 8, places one of the MK Party’s most senior office bearers at the centre of an escalating internal battle over authority inside Jacob Zuma’s party.
Nomvalo alleges that Chiliza has been telling party members that he is being “funded and handled” by a senior leader from a rival political party.
He further alleges that Chiliza claimed the rival politician bought him a vehicle and paid for his security detail.
According to the complaint, Chiliza also allegedly claimed that Nomvalo’s security personnel were “hardcore hitmen”. Most significantly, Nomvalo alleges that Chiliza has been calling for his removal from office.
The secretary-general says the allegations are false and have the potential to undermine his authority if left unchallenged.
“The secretary-general takes these allegations very seriously, especially as they are canvassed and peddled by a very senior leader in the person of the KZN caucus provincial party leader, Inkosi Chiliza,” the complaint states.
Nomvalo says the claims are “untested and without any shred of merit” but carry the risk of damaging his standing in the party.
He has asked Yengeni to initiate preliminary investigations and institute disciplinary proceedings against Chiliza.
The complaint was also copied to national chairperson Nkosinathi Nhleko, provincial elections convener Willies Mchunu and MK Royal and Traditional Council chairperson Inkosi Mavundla.
The dispute surfaces as the MK Party prepares for its first local government election campaign and while the party continues to wrestle with organisational tension after a series of structural changes.
Nomvalo warns in the complaint that the party was entering a significant stage and could not afford attacks that undermine its leadership.
“uMkhonto weSizwe Party is entering a very critical phase of contesting local government elections for the very first time, in a hostile environment where the current leading elites will do anything to undermine the legi-timacy of the party, and at all costs,” he writes.
The complaint brings into the open the clash between the national office of the secretary-general and a powerful KwaZulu-Natal figure in the party’s provincial caucus.
Chiliza occupies a key position as MK Party leader in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature, while Nomvalo sits at the heart of the party’s national administration and organisational machinery.
KwaZulu-Natal remains the MK Party’s most important power base after the party’s electoral breakthrough and the province continues to carry significant influence in its internal balance of power.
The escalation of the complaint to Yengeni, Nhleko, Mchunu and Mavundla shows that the dispute has moved beyond a personal quarrel between two leaders and into the party’s senior command structure. It also comes against the backdrop of wider concerns inside the MK Party about internal disputes, gatekeeping and factional tension as the party prepares for the 2026 local government elections.
In a separate internal strategic assessment circulated to national leaders, MK Party national policy coordinator Joe Ndhlela warns that the party is operating in a difficult environment, one marked by “careerism, celebrity politics, gatekeeping, internal disputes and factional tensions”. Ndhlela’s document also raises concern about the dissolution of branch, regional and provincial structures and the establishment of election machinery structures, warning that organisational instability could weaken the party’s readiness for the local government polls.
He says the MK Party should prioritise organisational consolidation, branch strengthening, candidate selection, campaign machinery and coalition readiness before convening a large national policy conference. A rushed conference process could deepen
factionalism, trigger disputes over delegate legitimacy and divert attention and resources from election preparations.
Chiliza and MK Party spokesperson Sifiso Mahlangu did not respond to the questions sent to them.
- MK Party secretary-general Sibonelo Nomvalo accused KwaZulu-Natal leader Inkosi Phathisizwe Chiliza of spreading false claims that Nomvalo is controlled and funded by a rival party to undermine his leadership.
- Nomvalo filed a formal complaint to second deputy president Tony Yengeni, urging investigations and disciplinary action against Chiliza for alleged defamation and calls for his removal.
- The dispute highlights a power struggle between Nomvalo’s national office and influential KwaZulu-Natal party figures amid organizational tensions and structural changes.
- The complaint coincides with preparations for MK Party's first local government elections in 2026, as internal factionalism, gatekeeping, and instability threaten party unity and readiness.
- An internal assessment warns that the party must focus on consolidating structures and election preparations over rushing a national conference, to avoid exacerbating internal conflicts.
