OPINION: Is Zuma’s MK Party the future?
A well-known author and resident poses the question – does the MK Party have the capacity to take the nation to the promised land in future?
• Thabile Mange writes:
Is the new kid on the block the MK party, under the leadership of former president Jacob Zuma, the future? The latest political party’s popularity is steadily growing, despite its evident weaknesses and visible shortcomings.
Not long ago, the MK party won a by-election in Marikana, North West. Does this dispel the myth that it is a regional party – meaning it’s dominant in KZN only – or is it a tribal party? It’s still early days to tell.
Two weeks ago or so, the co-founder and former EFF deputy president, Nyiko Floyd Shivambu, resigned and joined Zuma’s party. Shivambu was given a warm welcome by his new party. He has also been given a critical role – that of a national organiser.
Quite honestly, I never thought Shivambu would leave the EFF. When I heard the news on the radio, I was shocked but not surprised. I did not see that one coming. Two of my colleagues said the ex-red berets deputy president has “sold out”. Has he? A topic for another day.
Shivambu did not leave the EFF alone. Mzwanele Manyi also resigned and joined the MK Party at the same time as his former deputy president. Manyi’s resignation didn’t come as a surprise. In addition, he also hopped around political parties. The truth is that Manyi is not loyal to any political party but himself. He is an ex-member of three political parties: The ANC, ATM and EFF. MK Party is the fourth party he’s joining in a short space of time. Should he leave his new party in the future, I won’t be surprised.
Recently, a former controversial Cope member and ex-Johannesburg speaker resigned from her political party, South African Rainbow Alliance, and joined the MK Party.
The pertinent question is: What attracts people to Zuma’s party? I mean MK Party has no constitution, policies and structures. It also has members who have a chequered past. It is centred around the former president, who sometimes axes members willy-nilly.
Is there a good chance that the MK Party could be a ruling party in the future, given its rising popularity? If so, does the party have the capacity to take the nation to the Promised Land? There are more questions than answers.
