Pro and anti-Zuma MK factions to become one

The uMkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) and uMkhonto weSizwe National Council (MKNC) will once again become one when they hold a joint conference next month led by the ANC’s peace and stability subcommittee chairperson Tony Yengeni.

The MKNC formed years ago when members of the body took exception to the direction the association was headed under the leadership of Kebby Maphatsoe.

Pretoria News reports that Maphatsoe’s administration was accused of misrepresenting the interests of the organisation.

The bodies primarily organised themselves along the lines of those who were pro-Zuma (MKVMA) and those who were critical of his actions and leadership (MKNC).

The reunion is said to be a move towards ensuring that the bodies further their collective agenda instead of further dividing the mother body.

“We want political unity among ourselves. We want to clear the database because there are rumours that we are recruiting young people to be members of our organization. The MK community is very small so it cannot afford to be divided for this long,” Maphatsoe told the publication.

He also stated that he believed the ANC should “deal harshly” with anyone who forms a breakaway in future.

According to MKNC secretary-general Gregory Nthatisi, the most important thing about next month’s conference is “the content that must come out”.

Within this “content” are resolutions on things such as “how the country can make use of the investment made by the liberation movement in training these soldiers”.

“Some of these ex-combatants were trained in security, intelligence and in politics but they have moved away because of the wrong things that have been happening,” explained Nthatisi.

Touching on Maphatsoe’s point about updating the association’s database, Nthatisi said that this also needed to be done in order to eject people who had infiltrated the organisation without the proper credentials.

The conference will take place on 13 March.

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