In a dramatic late-night move that has sent shockwaves through South Africa’s political landscape, former President Jacob Zuma has firmly reasserted his authority over the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), suspending its parliamentary leader, Dr. John Hlophe, and undoing a series of leadership changes executed in his absence.
The announcement, made late Wednesday, signals a swift and decisive crackdown on what appears to have been an unauthorized power grab within the party’s crucial parliamentary caucus.
A Precautionary Suspension and a Nullified Decision
The party’s statement was clear and direct. Zuma, upon returning from a trip to Burkina Faso and being briefed on the internal changes, issued a “precautionary suspension” to Hlophe from his roles as both the party’s Deputy President and Leader of the MKP parliamentary caucus.
The suspension is pending a full investigation into Hlophe’s conduct. More immediately, Zuma nullified Hlophe’s decision to remove Collen Makhubele as the party’s Chief Whip and replace her with Des Van Rooyenthe former minister infamously known as the “weekend special” for his brief tenure as Finance Minister.
Reaffirming “Collective Leadership”
The MKP’s statement framed the decision as a necessary step to uphold the principle of “collective leadership.” It was intended to “send a strong signal” that major decisions cannot be made unilaterally without wider consultation across the party’s structures.
This public dressing-down serves as a stark reminder that despite his seat in parliament, Zuma remains the MKP’s ultimate source of authority. The party was keen to project an image of stability, stating its leadership is “firmly united” and committed to “discipline, accountability and collective decision-making.”
The Intricate Web Behind the Scenes
The suspension unveils a complex and contentious backstory. Earlier on Wednesday, it was reported that Makhubele had been fired as Chief Whip. While the official statement gave no reason, party insiders alleged her dismissal was linked to an internal report accusing her of trying to secure a lucrative MKP service-provider contract for a company directed by her husband.
Further complicating the matter, it was alleged that the MKP’s Chief of Staff, Vanessa Calvert, was previously suspended for refusing to authorize the same contract. Calvert has since been reinstated, confirming the turbulent undercurrents within the party’s administration.
This rapid sequence of eventsfirings, suspensions, and reinstatementsall within a matter of hours, highlights the intense internal battles and shifting alliances that have characterized the MKP’s tumultuous first few months in parliament. For now, Zuma has stepped in to calm the storm, but the fallout from this dramatic night is far from over.
