Jacob Zuma to announce MK party developments after leadership shake-ups

Zuma set to speak as MK party reshuffles its top ranks

The political rumour mill is buzzing ahead of Friday, when former president Jacob Zuma is expected to address recent developments within the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, a movement that has barely had a quiet week since bursting onto South Africa’s political stage.

Zuma, the party’s leader, will make the announcements in Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal, according to MK party national spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela. The timing is telling: the party has been rapidly reconfiguring its leadership, sparking debate, speculation and no shortage of social media commentary.

A party in constant motion

In recent weeks, the MK party has been accused by supporters and critics alike of playing political musical chairs. Officials have been removed, redeployed or replaced as Zuma tightens his grip on the organisation’s structure.

The most high-profile move came on Wednesday, when the party confirmed that former Eskom CEO Brian Molefe had resigned as a Member of Parliament. Molefe, who faces corruption allegations, stepped down from Parliament to focus full-time on his role as the party’s treasurer-general.

According to Ndhlela, the decision followed a direct instruction from Zuma, who wants the party’s financial machinery strengthened as it positions itself for long-term political relevance.

Zuma’s hand on the wheel

Molefe was only appointed treasurer-general last month, replacing Mpiyakhe Limba. The MK party insists the move is strategic rather than punitive, framing it as part of a broader effort to build organisational discipline and financial sustainability.

The party says Zuma has made it clear that cadres should be deployed where they can be most effective a narrative that resonates strongly with the party’s revolutionary branding and liberation-era rhetoric.

Whether the public sees this as decisive leadership or internal instability remains an open question.

Momentum and controversy

What cannot be disputed is the MK party’s rapid rise. Built largely around Zuma’s political persona, the party has tapped into deep currents of frustration within the electorate, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal.

A 2024 poll conducted for the Brenthurst Foundation placed the MK party as South Africa’s third-largest political force, with 15% support behind the ANC at 39% and the DA at 27%. For a relatively new party, the numbers raised eyebrows across the political spectrum.

That success has not gone uncontested. Former president Thabo Mbeki recently reignited debate by suggesting that remnants of apartheid-era security structures may have been “activated” to undermine the ANC and benefit the MK party during the 2024 elections.

A sharp rebuttal

The MK party wasted no time in pushing back, dismissing Mbeki’s claims as reckless and dangerous. On social media, supporters rallied behind Zuma, accusing critics of refusing to accept the party’s grassroots appeal.

As Zuma prepares to speak on Friday, expectations are high, not just for clarity on leadership changes, but for signals about where the MK party is headed next.

In South Africa’s increasingly fragmented political landscape, every move matters. And when Zuma speaks, the country listens.

{Source: The Citizen}

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