Founder of the MK party, Jabulani Khumalo, has placed Jacob Zuma on a precautionary suspension. He has also called on the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to remove the former president from its parliamentary list.
Despite being expelled from the party by Zuma last month for “ill-discipline”, Khumalo has made a move to suspend Zuma from the party just days before the constitutional court hearing. This follows an appeal by the IEC against an electoral court ruling that allowed Zuma to be on the ballot. The latest drama involving the new breakaway party from the ANC began on Sunday when Khumalo, referring to himself as the party’s president, wrote a letter to Zuma informing him of his suspension.
In a letter, Khumalo accused Zuma of committing multiple acts of misconduct in relation to the activities of the MKP. These actions have caused confusion among the public and members of the party, bringing it into disrepute. Khumalo specifically noted that Zuma had purported to suspend him as the party’s president, without following the procedures outlined in the party’s constitution.
Khumalo said Zuma’s precautionary suspension would be followed by disciplinary proceedings being brought against him by the party.
The IEC released a statement on Tuesday afternoon confirming that it had received the letter by the MK party founder. It however said that it does not involve itself in political party affairs.
“Addditionally the commission only acts on instruction of the registered leader of the party. In the present case, Mr Jacob Zuma is the registered leader of the MK party,” the commission said.
Khumalo and several other MK party members were expelled at the end of April, with party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela accusing him of using its funds to buy expensive new vehicles.
Ndhlela also accused Khumalo of working to undermine the MK party which has been rocked by allegations of fraud in the process of collecting signatures to have it placed on the ballot from within on the ANC’s behalf.
The episode is reminiscent of the spat in the ANC during which its then secretary general, Ace Magashule, suspended President Cyril Ramaphosa for suspending him.
Magashule was ultimately expelled from the party.
In his letter to the IEC, Khumalo requested the “immediate removal” of Zuma “as the face of the MKP and president of MKP”.
He accused Zuma of hijacking the party and of fraudulently having him removed from the party’s electoral list.
Khumalo also spilled the beans on how the MK party was formed and what role the former head of state played in this process.
Khumalo said he had registered the party with Zuma’s “political advice and guidance” and that the former president had told him its name should be “aligned with the ANC”, whose brand was “entrenched within the public and the population”.
Zuma had also suggested the date of 16 December the anniversary of the formation of the ANC’s military wing, uMkhonto weSizwe for the announcement of his role in the party, and had helped him raise more than R700 000 to register it.
“The name uMkhonto weSizwe was proposed by Mr Zuma. I was responsible for the registration of MKP with the electoral commission,” Khumalo said. “At all times it was understood that Mr Zuma is not a member of MKP, but would assist it in the campaign.’
“When he announced his decision to vote and campaign for MKP on 16 December 2023, he made it clear that he would remain a member of the ANC,” Khumalo said.
Khumalo said he had rejected rumors that Zuma “intended to hijack the party” because he believed that his relationship with the former head of state was “solid”.
On April 23, a meeting was held between Zuma, members of the MK party, and Khumalo. During this meeting, Zuma announced that Khumalo was no longer the president of the party and that he would take on the role himself. The group then created a fake letter to the IEC stating that Khumalo was no longer a part of the party and that Zuma was now the president. According to Khumalo, this letter was fraudulent.
Khumalo said Zuma had brought the party into disrepute and violated its constitution by purporting to remove him without process and should be removed from the MK party list for 29 May.
Khumalo claimed that the leader of another opposition party was preparing to take over the MK party leadership after elections and that was among the reasons that Zuma’s daughter, Duduzile, had “publicly disgraced my name.”
Ndhlela had not responded to any calls or messages from the Mail & Guardian at the time of writing.
