‘Instability’ fear as Zuma wields axe
POLITICAL analysts have warned the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) that its continued reshuffling of officials would likely trigger uncertainty and political instability in the party, which is an official opposition with its 58 seats in the National Assembly.
This after Jacob Zuma wielded the axe, sacking MKP secretary-general Arthur Zwane and treasurer-general Danisa Zulu with immediate effect.
The MKP appointed Dr Sifiso Maseko as its new secretary-general, and Menzi Magubane took over as the new treasurer-general.
Zwane’s dramatic removal came barely two weeks after he took over the reins of the powerful secretary-general position from Sihle Ngubane, who was deployed to the National Assembly.
The party has 37 seats in the KwaZulu-Natal provincial legislature.
Zakhele Ndlovu, a political analyst from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), was blunt, saying the MKP was Zuma’s stokvel. “Zuma is running the show there. What is happening in the MK Party are signs of instability. A serious organisation cannot frequently change its senior leaders like the MK Party.”
Ndlovu questioned the delay in the MKP’s holding its elective conference to elect new leaders instead of relying on Zuma to make decisions.
“The MK Party should hold its conference so that it has elected structures. We can’t have a third-biggest party in the country without elected leaders. This is a recipe for instability that we see playing out in the MK Party.”
Another analyst, Siyabonga Ntombela, a politics lecturer at UKZN, said the unexpected reshuffles were part of Zuma’s style of politics. “In a way, Zuma is consolidating power in the MK Party and reminding the leaders that he is in charge and no one is safe. Zuma is stamping his authority and is giving out the marching orders to MK Party backers.”
Ntombela warned that Zuma’s chopping and changing of leaders would lead to instability in the MKP.
The removal of Zwane and Zulu was ratified in a letter dated June 28. To Zwane, Zuma wrote: “Owing to the need of using limited and available human capital efficiently, I have decided to relinquish you from the secretary-general position with immediate effect. I will soon engage you regarding a new role you can play in the dynamic organisation.”
The letter sent to Zulu was similar.
Zuma also announced the disbandment of the Lower South Coast interim structure, with effect from July 1.
The first person to be sacked by Zuma was the founder of the party, Jabulani Khumalo, in April.
His ill-fated desperate bid to return hit a brick wall when the Electoral Court ruled against him last month.
Khumalo was axed in April alongside Lebogang Moepeng, Rochelle Davidson and Bhekizenzo Manzini. Bonginkosi Khanyile was rashly removed from being the MKP youth leader in April, barely two months after taking that position.
Meanwhile, an Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) official, Musawenkosi Mnikathi, yesterday appeared in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court on charges relating to the alleged contravention of the Electoral Act.
The matter was postponed as there was no electricity in the area.
Mnikathi was arrested during the May 29 general elections, further fuelling the MKP’s claims of vote-rigging. The IEC has repeatedly denied the MKP’s allegations.
The MKP alleged that 9.3 million votes were unaccounted for, vowing to take the matter to the International Court of Justice in the Hague, Netherlands.