Zuma’s MK party an ‘alternative for disgruntled ANC leaders’ – analyst

Political analyst Mpumelelo Mkhabela said former President Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party is on the path of recruiting top African National Congress (ANC) leaders to dismantle his former party’s “stronghold on power.”

This comes after impeached former public protector and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)  MP Busisiwe Mkhwebane and former ANC member and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) premier Willies Mchunu were presented as key figures in “advancing” the MK party’s mission to “promote accountability and integrity in governance.”

Mkhwebane officially joined the MK party on Friday sharing the stage with Mchunu and Zuma.

Snagging Mchunu is a coup

Mkhabela agreed that Zuma’s party snagging Mchunu is a coup for the MK party because he knows how KZN and ANC politics works in the province.

“He’s definitely going to be an asset for the party knowing what he does and how the ANC operates. He knows the lay of the land in KZN. You could argue he is a typical candidate for the kind of people the MK party is recruiting, Mkhabela told eNCA.

“The MK party wants top ANC leaders to do two things: To dismantle the ANC’s stronghold in power and to give an  impression that actually it is the alternative for all senior ANC leaders that may be disgruntled with the party.

“Thirdly, the MK party is providing a leeway for people who may be frustrated with deployment opportunities. The ANC having lost its majority, no longer has power or room to deploy all its leaders to certain positions in government in the state in general,” Mkhabela said.

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Alternative

Mkhabela added that the MK party is “proving” in the case of Mchunu and others that it is the alternative platform for people seeking new deployments when their old party has lost power.

“So, it is actually an alternative for the disgruntled ANC leaders, but for the party it is an opportunity for them to recruit and expand their power base.”

KZN and Mpumalanga

MK party secretary-general Sifiso Maseko said Mchunu will lead the party in KZN, citing his strong political, ideological and organisational skills as essential for advancing the party’s agenda.

Mkhwebane was announced as the party’s convener for Mpumalanga

“Advocate Mkhwebane’s consistency, composure and professionalism will guide the province of Mpumalanga into absolute stability and progress,” Maseko said on Friday.

Maseko emphasised that KZN is a crucial and strategic area for the MK party, as it emerged as the largest political party in the province after the 2024 general elections.

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