Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma rejects Fikile Mbalula’s claim linking March and March to MK Party

March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma has pushed back against assertions by ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula that the movement is linked to the MK Party, saying the criticism is motivated by “the fear of Jacob Zuma” rather than the group’s campaign against undocumented immigration.

Response to photo shared by Mbalula

Mbalula shared a photograph showing Ngobese-Zuma and her husband meeting MK Party leadership, including Nathi Nhleko, and questioned why that meeting had not attracted similar scrutiny when other engagements took place.

“Jacinta and his hubby did meet MK leadership alone without Ngizwe and Phakela, so why meeting a head of state without her an issue?”

Responding to Mbalula’s post on X, Ngobese-Zuma said:

“I told you guys that the issue here is not March and March but the fear of Jacob Zuma.”

On meetings with the president and other political parties

Ngobese-Zuma said she had repeatedly requested a meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa but had not received a response. She added that she was unaware that Ngizwe Mchunu and Nkosikhona Ndabandaba (Phakel’umthakathi) had met the President the day before the 30 June protest, and said she was not involved in discussions that led to that meeting and had not been told what was discussed.

Ngobese-Zuma accused Mbalula of selectively focusing on the MK Party meeting while ignoring the movement’s engagements with other political parties. She listed meetings the movement has had with multiple parties and leaders, and said those interactions showed the movement’s outreach across the political spectrum.

Independence and intent

Ngobese-Zuma rejected suggestions that the movement’s meetings indicated political alignment. She noted an ANC statement when she was fired and said the marches had been organised independently and without ANC involvement.

She said the movement wanted to meet the President to address immigration concerns and that any refusal to meet was not a loss to the organisers. Ngobese-Zuma also recalled earlier comments by Mbalula questioning her identity and the movement before its protests gained national attention, and accused him of repeatedly trying to undermine March and March’s credibility.

“You failed with labelling us vigilantes, you failed with tribalism, now you want to keep aligning us with MK so you can prove a point that this is not a genuine organisation? Good luck with what you are trying to do Bhuti, but please be honest when you are addressing issues!”