The Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) party stated that it has not received any official communication from its expelled founder, Jabulani Khumalo, requesting the removal of Jacob Zuma from his role as party president.

The response followed after letters allegedly from Khumalo surfaced on social media on Tuesday. The letters, purportedly directed to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), requested that the body urgently remove Jacob Zuma as both the party president and its representative on the ballot. Khumalo reportedly claims that Zuma occupies these positions “fraudulently.” He also supposedly wrote directly to Zuma, informing him of his precautionary suspension.

IEC:

We received Jabulani Khumalo’s letter demanding that the IEC must remove President Zuma as the MK Party face and president.

The IEC acts on instruction of the registered leader of the party. In the present case, President Zuma is the registered leader of the MK Party. pic.twitter.com/fscK9rPN1a

— Izwe Lethu (@LandNoli) May 7, 2024

However, MK party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela emphasized that the party had not received any formal communication from Khumalo on the matter, saying:

“We have seen the letters circulating on social media, but we have not received anything formal from him.”

Khumalo’s correspondence comes in the wake of his recent expulsion from the MK party along with four other members. The party explained the decision was part of an effort to “cleanse and purify itself from rogue elements” that could hinder its goal of securing a two-thirds majority.

On September 7, 2023, Khumalo registered the MK party with the IEC. In a letter dated May 5, he accused Zuma of occupying his positions inappropriately and committing various acts of misconduct within the MK party. He urged the IEC to act promptly:

“In these circumstances, I request, urgently, that the Electoral Commission should remove Mr. Zuma’s name as the ‘face’ of MK Party.”

Currently, Zuma tops the MK party’s candidate list for Parliament and is the face that replaced Khumalo on the ballot.

Meanwhile, the MK Party Youth League voiced its concerns through spokesperson Nkateko Mkhabela, firmly dismissing Khumalo’s efforts:

“We outrightly reject Mr. Jabulani Khumalo and any affiliations associated with him and vehemently refuse and reject to be led by a fly-by-night individual,” said Mkhabela.

He also cautioned against undermining the leadership of Zuma:

“We caution Mr. Jabulani Khumalo and his dull-witted associates against undermining President JG Zuma and, consequently, our collective struggle for economic freedom in our lifetime.”

BREAKING NEWS:

President Jacob Zuma is the official owner of the MK Party and The ANC

He can’t be expelled or removed by any minion.

Thank you! pic.twitter.com/M8uRJ5v7QY

— Sive ✨ (@SiveXaluva) May 7, 2024