Former President Jacob Zuma’s political party, uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK), has declared that it will not attend the inauguration of re-elected President Cyril Ramaphosa, scheduled for Wednesday.
Ramaphosa is set to begin his second term under the Government of National Unity (GNU) during a ceremony at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
The GNU was established after the African National Congress (ANC) failed to secure a majority in the elections and entered into an agreement with the Democratic Alliance (DA) to form the unity government.
The recently formed MK has swiftly risen to prominence, securing over 4.5 million votes in national and regional elections, making it the third-largest party in the country. This success has earned MK 58 seats in Parliament, which consists of 400 seats.
MK party spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndhlela, expressed the party’s stance on the inauguration, stating they will not partake in the event.
“We refuse to join in the spitting of the graves of those who died for this freedom by attending the symbolic wedding ceremony of a house negro called Ramaphosa with the slave master, Helen Zille.”
Previously, the MK party chose to boycott the first sitting of the National Assembly. During this session, members of the DA-ANC coalition voted in unison, an action Ndhlela described as a betrayal of their struggle for total freedom and land repossession.
Ndhlela elaborated on their discontent with the ANC, accusing the party of prioritizing positions over the welfare of the people by forming an alliance with the DA to ensure Ramaphosa’s presidency.
“The time is now for all progressive forces to unite against the reintroduction of apartheid and colonialism.”
Despite gaining a significant number of parliamentary seats, MK remains dissatisfied with the election results and has announced plans to challenge the outcome at the International Court in The Hague. This follows an unsuccessful attempt to have the May 29 elections invalidated due to alleged irregularities, which was dismissed by the Constitutional Court.
Ndhlela emphasized that the party will explore all legal avenues to oppose and dismantle what they see as the incoming regime of Ramaphosa and the DA.
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