‘I feel so good’ − Mervyn Dirks unfazed by ANC expelling him for joining Zuma at MK party

The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has expelled its former member of the provincial legislature (MPL) and MP Mervyn Dirks for joining the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party.

Dirks confirmed his expulsion on Monday, 26 February, after sharing a letter signed by provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo, dated 25 February, 2024.

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“This letter serves to inform you that you have been expelled from the African National Congress because you have joined another political party, contravening Rule 25.17.13 of the ANC. This action taken against you is admitted by yourself to the provincial secretary, who is the chief administrative officer of the organisation in the province,” reads the letter.

“This means that your membership of the ANC is terminated with immediate effect, and you will no longer represent the ANC as a public representative in the KZN legislature.”

Unfazed, Dirks said the expulsion made him “feel good”.

“My only mission now is to mobilise votes for MK. I will not speak about any other political party.”

This was not Dirks’ first run-in with the ANC rules.

Dirks was sworn in as an ANC KwaZulu-Natal MPL in June 2023.

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This came after he resigned from the National Assembly amid a fallout with ANC parliament leaders in January 2022.

He resigned after failing to overturn his suspension from parliament after the Western Cape High Court struck his application off the roll.

ANC chief whip Pemmy Majodina had placed him on precautionary suspension for his “unbecoming” conduct and initiated disciplinary proceedings against him.

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Dirks had written to parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts chairperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa requesting that President Cyril Ramaphosa be summoned to the committee to answer allegations of mismanagement of public funds.

His complaint related to an audio recording in which Ramaphosa is heard saying that he knew of party members who utilised public funds for their political campaigns ahead of ANC’s 2017 Nasrec elective conference.

Ramaphosa conceded in the leaked audio, recorded during an NEC meeting, that he is “willing to fall on the sword” to protect the ANC rather than reveal the party members’ names because he is concerned about the image of the party.

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ANC’s head of the presidency Sibongile Besani confirmed that the leaked recording was authentic but dismissed suggestions that Ramaphosa was attempting to shield party members by covering up information on corruption.