MK Party leaders in Mpumalanga are in a squabble over a party laptop, with one suspended leader trying to suspend his nemesis in a confrontation similar to the bitter Magashule–Ramaphosa standoff in the ANC in 2021.
On October 18, provincial chairperson Adv Busisiwe Mkhwebane issued a formal instruction to suspended secretary Abednego Mkhatshwa to hand back the party’s laptop and other equipment allocated to him before his suspension.
“The uMkhonto weSizwe Party, Mpumalanga province, requests the return of organisational tools of trade that were allocated to you to do the work of the organisation in your previous roles,” Mkhwebane wrote.
“We request the return of the laptop so that those with new responsibilities can perform their duties with ease.”
The letter, copied to provincial treasurer Johan Mkhatshwa, makes it clear that the treasurer’s office would collect the equipment. Within 30 days, the response arrived, and the saga detonated.
In a strongly worded rebuttal dated November 18, the secretary rejected the demand outright and accused Mkhwebane of fabricating authority she does not hold.
“Your correspondence, premised on the notion that there are ‘new responsibilities’ assigned to others and implying a change in the roles of the current provincial secretary and organiser, is factually incorrect and legally baseless,” he wrote.
He escalated further, alleging that Mkhwebane was enforcing decisions taken at the Cycad Hotel meeting, which he says had no legitimacy under MKP rules.
“It is a direct continuation of the unconstitutional conduct exhibited during the illegitimate meeting held at Cycad Hotel on 13 October 2025,” Mkhatshwa stated.
“The decisions taken at that gathering were null and void, as they flagrantly violated the MKP constitution and undermined the authority of the national leadership.”
The confrontation did not end with an ideological -interpretation of internal rules. Mkhatshwa further threatened to escalate the conflict to the national level and initiate a disciplinary process against Mkhwebane.
“We are instituting charges against you for contravening the constitution of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party, specifically for gross insubordination, sowing division, and undermining elected structures.”
The final blow of the letter carries the sting of political history. “We are recommending your immediate suspension pending the outcome of a formal disciplinary inquiry.”
Mkhatshwa ended his letter with a direct order to his chairperson: “You are advised to cease all unauthorised administrative correspondence and actions immediately until this matter is resolved by the appropriate national structures.”
Makhwebane charged Mkhatshwa for repeatedly neglecting core duties and disrupting party operations.
He is alleged to have failed to convene secretariat meetings for more than seven months, stalling communication and collective decision-making. She also cites his failure to produce or circulate minutes of the previous key gatherings, leaving no official record of proceedings.
Finally, he is charged with ignoring a provincial disciplinary resolution to give the secretary or organiser position to one of the members of the party in Gert Sibande region.
The tensions stem back to the Mary Phadi saga, which exploded into allegations of factionalism and control of the Mpumalanga detachment. Since her membership was nullified by a court, the province has been locked in a tug-of-war between two competing power centres – both claiming authority.
Questions sent to MKP national spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela on the status of Mkhatshwa as a secretary were not answered. Mkhwebane also did not explain when Mkhatshwa will face a disciplinary hearing. She only sent a copy of the charges and clarified where the laptop is.
“The laptop is with him at home since we have no MKP office in Mbombela,” she said.
