MK party ‘purge’: ‘Co-founder Jabulani Khumalo can’t deregister the party’

UMkhonto weSizwe MK party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela says the party has no regrets about expelling former co-founder Jabulani Khumalo from its ranks.

The party last week confirmed that Khumalo and four others had been given the boot. It came after weeks of speculation about his and others’ roles in the organisation. It was claimed that former president Jacob Zuma could have been behind the axings.

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Khumalo registered the party in his name, and there was speculation he might react to his expulsion by registering it less than a month before elections.

In an interview with The Citizen, Ndhlela said Khumalo had no power to do so.

“The answer is no Section 15 shows you he has no powers to do so by himself alone,” Ndhlela said.

‘It’s not Zuma who made the call’

According to Ndhlela, Khumalo was present when he was given his dismissal letter and the reasons for his expulsion.

“This man was fired live in a meeting. He was present so they read him the letter and he left,” he said.

According to Ndhlela, it was not simply Zuma’s decision to dismiss the five MK party members accused of being rogues. Rather it was a decision by the national leadership of the party.

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“It’s not President Zuma who took that decision. They brought this upon themselves,” Ndhlela said.

MK and the spies

Ndhlela said the MK party remained fearless of spies and other elements that it claim had been sent by opposition parties.

“MK fearless of rogue elements in any revolution that is the case,” he said.

Political analyst Piet Croucamp said the notion of spies and rogue elements has become very popular among ANC structures and parties that have broken off from the ANC.

“It is possible that they do not trust each other enough. In the ANC if you want to cause chaos you can accuse people of being a spy and that will cause chaos,” he told The Citizen.