Bye bye parliament? MK party comrades sent packing weeks before national elections

As South Africans celebrate Freedom Day on 27 April, some top comrades of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party have been kicked out in the cold.

The MK party announced the expulsion of five high-ranking officials on Friday.

In a media statement, the party said the jaw-dropping decision was made during a meeting among its national leadership, and in light of destabilisation attempts by “external forces”.

MK party’s list of expelled comrades

“At a meeting held by the National Leadership Core, and in light of the attempts by external forces to destabilise the MK party, whose aim is to advance a revolution of the people, the National Leadership Core has taken a decision to expel the following comrades:

1. Cde Jabulani Khumalo, whom Jacobs Zuma requested that he register the party on his behalf.
2. Cde Ray Khumalo
3. Cde Bheki Manzini
4. Cde Lebo Moepeng
5. Cde Rochelle Davidson, also known as Gogo Mahlalaentabeni.

“We want to categorically state that the National Leadership Core will always act and make decisions in the interest of all patriotic South Africans that want to see change.”

ALSO READ: ConCourt gives Zuma and MK party more time

Legal hoops to jump through on the road to elections

Meanwhile, the party and its leader, Jacob Zuma, still have some legal hoops to jump through enroute to the May 29 elections.

Zuma and his MK party still have to file answering affidavits in the Constitutional Court(Con Court) to an urgent appeal by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC).

The IEC approached the Constitutional Court after the Electoral Court set aside an objection to Zuma running for public office, due his previous 15 months prison sentence for contempt of court.

In a court notice, seen by The Citizen on Thursday, the ConCourt granted Zuma and the MK party until Tuesday, 30 April, to file the outstanding affidavit

The disputed ruling granted the former statesman permission to stand as a parliamentary candidate for the MK party.

Following a lengthy tug of war between MK party and the IEC, Zuma’s road to parliament somewhat became clearer – until now.

The Electoral Court released its judgment on Friday, laying out the reason behind its decision to overturn the IEC’s ruling.

READ MORE: Here’s why Electoral Court overturned IEC’s decision to bar Zuma’s candidacy