Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla issues public apology to Floyd Shivambu

MK party MP Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla has finally apologised to the party’s secretary-general, Floyd Shivambu, for her posts on X criticising him.

Seemingly reacting to posts praising Shivambu on Monday, Zuma-Sambudla responded with a tirade of her own posts, many of which contained explicit language.

In one of them, she claimed Shivambu was the “worst thing that happened to MK”.

This led to MK party leader Jacob Zuma, also her father, threatening to terminate her membership if she did not apologise.

ALSO READ: More trouble for Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla as her father steps in

While Zuma-Sambudla apologised to the MK party, she did not do so directly to Shivambu.

‘Sorry Floyd’

However, on Friday, she issued another apology to Shivambu.

“To the Secretary-General of uMkhonto weSizwe Party, my comrade, Floyd Shivambu, President Jacob Zuma, party members, supporters, and the people of South Africa; I sincerely apologise for my recent public posts on X, which have caused offence, division, and disruption within the uMkhonto weSizwe Party and beyond, Zuma-Sambudla said.

“It was never my intention to undermine the principles of unity, respect, and discipline that are the foundation of our movement. I acknowledge that my words and actions have violated the Party’s Disciplinary Code of Conduct, and I deeply regret any harm they may have caused.

“I take full responsibility for my statements and commit to upholding the values and integrity of uMkhonto weSizwe moving forward,” Zuma-Sambudla said.

Apology to others

Zuma-Sambudla also extended a formal and unreserved apology to all structures she serves in, including the South African Parliament and the Southern Caucus of the Pan-African Parliament.

“I remain committed to working towards unity, progress and the total liberation of our people. I humbly ask for the understanding and forgiveness of my fellow comrades and the South African public.

“I assure you all that I will reflect on this moment and use it as an opportunity for growth, discipline, and renewed commitment to the Party’s mission,” Zuma-Sambudla said.

MK party factions

On Tuesday, political analyst Professor Ntsikelelo Breakfast told The Citizen, the MK party has two factions, one led by Zuma’s daughter and the other by Shivambu.

“There are two factions in the MK, one behind Duduzile because she is the daughter of the president and the one behind Floyd. I cannot confirm who the powerful one is,” Breakfast said.

He also said it is clear that Zuma-Sambudla feels aggrieved that Shivambu was parachuted into the secretary-general role after the elections.

“She is bitter because maybe she feels overlooked. This looks like a deep-rooted conflict. The fact that her father is a founder of the party makes her feel that she is untouchable,” he said.

‘Terrorism’

Zuma-Sambudla is already facing charges under the Protection of Constitutional Democracy against Terrorist and Related Activities Act (POCDATARA) and incitement to commit violence with social media posts during the July 2021 riots in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and Gauteng.

Zuma’s daughter was released on a warning after appearing in the Durban Magistrate’s Court last week.

The case has been transferred to the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Durban, where she will appear on 20 March.

The charges follow a criminal case opened by Forensics for Justice’s Paul O’Sullivan, who provided the police and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) with a detailed forensic report documenting every tweet Zuma-Sambudla sent during the riots.

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