‘Our president is still a member of ACT’: Ace Magashule won’t be joining the MK party

The African Transformation Congress (ACT) has reiterated that its president Ace Magashule will not be joining the MK (MK) party anytime soon.

Magashule launched the party last year but failed to secure a single seat in parliament.

Over the years, he has been a close ally to former president and MK party leader Jacob Zuma, with a strategic agreement between the parties announced in January.

The MK party emerged from May’s election with the third-highest number of votes and has seen several high-profile additions since.

ALSO READ:‘Why follow cowards?’: Malema tells disloyal EFF members to leave like Shivambu [VIDEO]

Our president is still a member of ACT

Amid an exodus from the party headed to Nkandla, ACT spokesperson Mohau Khumalo told The Citizen Magashule will remain president.

“We (ACT) remain independent and our president is still a member of ACT,” Khumalo said.

Still, Khumalo said ACT remained loyal to progressive parties such as the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the MK party.

“We continue to support the progressive caucus,” he said.

“The party is focused on fostering unity among progressive movements to collectively champion the interests of South Africans and ensure a better, more equitable future for all,” he added.

ALSO READ: ACT’s ‘dictator’ Ace Magashule out in the cold after mass resignations

Smaller parties ‘moving’ to the MK party

Khumalo’s comments came as smaller parties such as the South African Rainbow Alliance (Sara) and Xiluva have seen their leaders reportedly close shop and join the MK party.

They follow former Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) deputy president Floyd Shivambu, who recently left the EFF.

Political analyst Sipho Seepe said the MK party was consolidating all left-leaning thinkers and consolidating power.

“The entry of the MK party into the political space meant that the EFF could no longer claim to be the only alternative to the ANC. For the past 10 years, the EFF dominated and prided itself as the representative of the left,” Seepe told The Citizen.

Egos at play?

But this may not be the case for Magashule, who is reportedly not too keen to report to Zuma.

“Maybe [Magashule] did not want to be controlled. In that case, you would have to be under [the control of] a particular person.

“But he fails to understand that leadership is two-fold. So, what we actually saw is his refusal to be led. He wants to be by himself and have control of everything,” a source told City Press on a potential merger of the parties.