Zuma disbands MK’s High Command and installs new institute to drive ‘liberation’ programme

Zuma moves to centralise MK party control with new institute

Jacob Zuma has announced a major reconfiguration of the MK party, disbanding its National High Command and establishing a new MK Party Institute to direct the movement’s ideological, strategic and organisational agenda.

What changed

The party outlined the restructure at a press briefing in KwaZulu‑Natal following an 18‑month assessment of its direction. The overhaul includes the formal disbandment of the party’s National High Command (NHC) and the immediate creation of the MK Party Institute.

Who will lead the institute

The Institute will be led by Deputy President Dr Mandlakayise Hlophe alongside senior party figures named at the briefing: Nhlamulo Ndhlela, General Manana, Oupa Mathebula, Dr Khanyisile Litchfield‑Tshabalala and Lindelani Mbambo. The Institute will oversee governance frameworks, leadership structures and ideological education while benchmarking global models and African schools of thought.

New reporting lines and mandate

All party structures will now report directly to the Institute, which the party says will manage continuity, discipline and strategic coherence during the reconfiguration process. The institute is also tasked with reorganising leadership through a new national executive committee and deploying task teams to strengthen grassroots mobilisation.

Why the shift Zuma’s argument

Zuma said the party’s 18‑month reflection evaluated its “organisational health, ideological coherence, strategic direction, philosophical orientation, and long‑term trajectory.” He concluded that conventional electoral politics has weakened as a mobilising force and argued for a model where “liberation” is the engine of transformation and politics serves as the vehicle.

“Liberation must be the engine of transformation, while politics becomes only the vehicle.”

Ideology and priorities

The MK party programme emphasises the liberation of the poorest, community activism, the restoration of African identity, constitutional transformation and long‑term consciousness. Zuma said the party seeks a new constitutional conversation rooted in African aspirations, traditions and indigenous consciousness and criticised the current Constitution for inheriting Roman‑Dutch and English legal traditions that he said do not fully reflect the realities and aspirations of the African majority.

“The liberation of our people cannot continue to be governed solely through the current Constitution, which has inherited Roman‑Dutch and English legal traditions that do not fully reflect the civilisational realities and aspirations of the African majority.”

Ntuversalism and upcoming launch

Zuma reaffirmed his commitment to Ntuversalism described as a philosophy of Bantu and uMuntu consciousness, dignity and sovereignty and said it will be launched on 28 May in Johannesburg. He said the Institute will act as guardian of that framework.

Threats and discipline

Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela said the assessment identified internal and external threats including infiltration, factionalism, power mongering, opportunism and position‑based politics. He said the MK party would not allow revolutionary aspirations to be undermined by careerism, internal sabotage or elite political interests.

“The MK party will not allow the revolutionary aspirations of the people to be undermined by careerism, internal sabotage, or elite political interests.”

Election positioning

The party said the new structures will focus heavily on preparing for the 2026 local government elections and positioning for national power in 2029. Plans include establishing community contact centres, activist formations and policy conferences to advance the MK party’s stated liberation agenda.

The announced changes mark a deliberate shift by the MK party toward centralised ideological control and grassroots mobilisation under the newly formed MK Party Institute.