Colleen Makhubele speaks at a media briefing regarding the formation of an alliance between like minded political parties across SA called the South African Rainbow Alliance (SARA), 15 Novembver 2023. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen
Colleen Makhubele has resigned from the SA Rainbow Alliance (Sara) and joined the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party.
The former Johannesburg council speaker said former president Jacob Zuma’s MK party has become a “beacon of hope to unite and rally African leaders and their people”.
“This giant leap that I am taking today is a great and historical step towards a role and responsibility that we, as young leaders of South Africa, especially women leaders in this generation, must rise, be counted, and volunteer ourselves to carry,” she said.
Makhubele said the MK party will steer South Africa into the “future, bringing about constructive transformation and advancement in African society.
“Without any fear of contradiction, we must acknowledge and accord MK party its place in history as a serious organisation, intent on bringing a new style of leadership, science, and organised unity to black politics,” she said.
Makhubele said she believes the MK party has provided the “platform for young progressive leaders to find a political home for expression and service”.
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The former speaker was previously a member of the Congress of the People (Cope) before she was fired by the party in November last year.
Cope claimed Makhubele “lied” about the organisation being part of the newly-formed coalition pact, the South African Rainbow Alliance (Sara), which she had formed.
Cope said although it considered being part of Sara, it didn’t give Makhubele the go-ahead to sign the party into the alliance.
In a podcast with The Citizen before the May elections, Makhubele said she was concerned that the City of Johannesburg would collapse under the leadership of an incompetent mayor.
On Wednesday, the MK party welcomed new members of parliament (MPs), including corruption-accused former Transnet executives Brian Molefe and Siyabonga Gama.
Former Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) CEO Lucky Montana and Mzwanele Manyi also joined Gama and Molefe as parliamentary representatives for the MK party.
A few hours after being sworn in, Manyi was appointed as the party’s chief whip, replacing Sihle Ngubane.
Manyi resigned from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) on 15 August after being sworn in as an EFF MP in June.
ALSO READ: Cope fires Joburg speaker Colleen Makhubele
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