In a move that has raised eyebrows across South Africa’s political landscape, the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK) party has announced the replacement of 18 members of its delegation in the National Assembly. This decision comes just weeks after many of these members were sworn in on June 25th. To provide clarity on this development, the party’s spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndhlela, spoke about the situation.

Parliamentary Rules and Justification

Ndhlela addressed the notion that such a large-scale replacement is unusual, asserting that it is fully within parliamentary rules.

“It’s possible, it’s allowed by the parliamentary rules that you can replace members sworn in or not in the National Assembly. And this is what we’re doing,”

he stated. He emphasized that the decision was not made lightly, but in response to significant issues that have plagued the party’s internal processes.

Sabotage Allegations and Irregularities

The spokesperson revealed that the candidate lists submitted to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) had been tampered with, leading to the inclusion of names that were not part of the party’s original strategy.

“Our candidate lists that were submitted to the IEC, in effect, was sabotaged,”

Ndhlela explained. Among the irregularities was the inclusion of prominent figures like former President Zuma, whose involvement was planned for a later stage, not during the initial submission.
The sabotage, Ndhlela claims, was carried out by individuals who inserted friends, community members, and family onto the list without authorization.

“When I talk about sabotage, I’m talking about people who were putting in friends, community members, and family members onto our list,”

he clarified.

Communication and Replacement Process

Ndhlela outlined the process that followed the discovery of these irregularities. The affected members were informed of the situation and given the option to step down voluntarily or proceed with their swearing-in, with the understanding that they would eventually be replaced.

“They were given two options, as allowed by Parliament. We consulted with Parliament. And they decided just to go ahead and be sworn in, of which still is allowed by Parliament,”

Ndhlela said. The replacements, he stressed, were the names that should have been on the list originally.

Responsibility and Internal Discipline

When asked about the responsibility for compiling the list, Ndhlela disclosed that certain party members, who have since been expelled, were entrusted with this task.

“We had entrusted certain members of the party comrades who have now been expelled. And part of the reasons why they were expelled was for exactly that,”

he stated. The party has been grappling with infiltration by rogue elements, a challenge that has necessitated a thorough internal cleanup.

Addressing Organizational Challenges

Despite these challenges, Ndhlela insisted that the party is not disorganized but is instead in the process of solidifying its structures.

“We’re a young organization. We are forming structures. And naturally, you’ll come across certain teething situations such as this,”

he remarked. The party’s current efforts are focused on professionalizing and ensuring that it is duly represented in Parliament.

Competence and Party Representation

Responding to concerns about the party’s competence, Ndhlela was adamant that the MK party is highly capable.

“I don’t think we’ve been able to get to the point that we’re at without being competent. I’m sure you’ve heard some of our submissions in Parliament. Wouldn’t you say that those are competent people? Of course we’re competent,”

he asserted. The replacements, he emphasized, are intended to strengthen the party’s posture as an opposition force.

Future Outlook and Stability

Ndhlela was also questioned about whether the current turmoil might affect the stability of the party. He acknowledged that internal disagreements are natural but dismissed the notion that the party is unstable.

“We’re not going to adapt the same kind of culture that you find in some of these other parties. You know, we are going to follow our process. We know what we’re doing,”

he affirmed. He also highlighted that the interim nature of the current party structure allows for flexibility in making necessary adjustments.

Professionalization and Structural Development

The MK party, according to Ndhlela, is on the verge of finalizing its constitution and setting up proper structures.

“We have a team that’s worked on an organizational structure. We’re professionalizing this organization,”

he noted. The party’s near-complete constitution will be adopted at the appropriate conference, and efforts to establish branches and provincial structures are well underway.