Two senior MK Party leaders in Mpumalanga – Mary Phadi and General Tough Mdluli – have set aside months of animosity, including explosive allegations of an assassination plot, in a calculated bid to align with party founder Jacob Zuma’s call for unity ahead of the 2026 municipal elections.
The pair, once locked in one of the party’s most damaging internal disputes, appeared side by side at a press briefing in Mbombela this week, declaring an end to their feud.
The sudden show of unity follows pressure from Zuma, who reportedly warned provincial leaders that continued infighting could cost the party dearly at the local government polls.
The fallout between the two began in August 2024, when Mdluli, a staunch Zuma ally, opened a criminal case against Phadi, accusing her of plotting to assassinate him.
He claimed to have received death threats and submitted a sworn affidavit implicating Phadi in what he described as a “conspiracy to eliminate” him.
The allegations sent shockwaves through the MKP’s Mpumalanga structures, triggering deep divisions and a swift response from national leadership.
Phadi, a businesswoman and president of the Truckers Association of South Africa, was issued with a letter of termination of her membership of the party.
She was also removed from her roles as MKP’s provincial convener and leader of the party in the provincial legislature.
Her replacement was announced as former public protector Adv Busisiwe Mkhwebane, who had recently defected from the EFF, where she held a seat in parliament.
However, Phadi obtained a default court judgment reinstating her in all positions, including her membership in the party.
During the hullabaloo, Phadi denied the assassination claims at the time, stating that her lawyers advised her not to comment while the matter was under
investigation.
Now, despite the serious nature of the accusations, the two have made peace.
“We are grateful to president Msholozi for instructing us to work [together]. We love MKP, and we don’t care about squabbles,” said Mdluli during the briefing.
“We have to be ready to take the municipalities in 2026. Let’s stop bickering and go to work,” Mdluli said.
“We should stop calling on Msholozi to come solve our problems. When Nxamalala comes here, he must just come to bless us in our unity.”
Phadi framed the fallout as an orchestrated attempt to destabilise the party.
“It was propaganda meant to destroy MKP in Mpumalanga. People were happy we fell out,” she said.
“When General Mdluli realised the propaganda, he called me and said, ‘Mary, hello, my sweetie.’ I said to him, ‘You and I started this thing.’”
She stressed that Mdluli’s ground support in the province remained vital to MKP’s success. Mdluli agreed.
Speaking to Sunday World after the briefing, Mdluli declined to revisit the assassination allegations in detail.
“We are moving forward now to bring all the ground forces into the fold under one leadership team. We cannot dwell on issues of the past.
“And yes, I can confirm that I have withdrawn the police case, and we are working for the greater good of the province.”
The truce is expected to calm MKP’s internal turbulence in Mpumalanga – at least for now.
But unresolved tensions between Phadi and Advocate Mkhwebane remain a potential flashpoint as the 2026 campaign approaches.
For now, the ceasefire serves a clear strategic purpose: keeping Zuma’s favour and preserving MKP’s electoral momentum in one of its most contested provinces.
