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‘I have not been offered any position,’ says political chameleon Colleen Makhubele after joining MK party

‘I have not been offered any position,’ says political chameleon Colleen Makhubele after joining MK party
Queenin Masuabi
By Queenin Masuabi
29 Aug 2024
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Former South African Rainbow Alliance leader Colleen Makhubele has dismissed claims that her decision to join MK is opportunistic. It is the third political party she has joined in three years.

Colleen Makhubele’s South African Rainbow Alliance (Sara) was one of the parties that claimed the 2024 election results were rigged.

Makhubele was at the uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party’s first press briefing after the polls, where she spoke strongly against the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) while referring to former president Jacob Zuma as “ubaba” in an endearing tone.

The writing, some believed, was on the wall.

Makhubele, however, told Daily Maverick that it took months to decide whether she would continue her journey as a member of Sara or join the MK party. 

She claims to have been in talks with MK since the election results were released and was mulling whether to join the party before announcing her decision on Thursday.

The formation of Sara was marred by discord between Makhubele and former Cope leader Mosiuoa Lekota. 

Sara was meant to be an umbrella body comprising parties that wanted to be in a coalition after the elections. However, Lekota accused Makhubele of hijacking the idea.

“The idea [of establishing Sara] was to form an alliance by consolidating with other minority parties, but, as you know, that did not work and the MK party is managing to do so,” said Makhubele. 

“It is time we unite the black vote, instead of 20 or 30 parties saying the same thing. We did not do South Africans any justice by separating ourselves. We need to put our egos aside and work together. MK is better placed to proceed with the vision. You do not always have to be a leader.”  

Makhubele joined Congress of the People (Cope) in 2021 and was axed from it in November 2023 while serving as Speaker in the City of Joburg. This was after she started Sara without informing Cope’s leadership.

Cope had previously suspended Makhubele when she voted to oust the then Johannesburg Speaker, the DA’s Vasco da Gama, but Lekota saw her as a protegé and reinstated her. 

Read more: Joburg speaker Colleen Makhubele axed by party – council turmoil deepens

Sara garnered 12,450 votes nationally in the 29 May elections, or 0.03%, compared with MK’s 4.5 million votes, or 14.5%.

‘So what?’


Makhubele said her decision to join MK was not informed by the possibility of occupying high office in the newly formed party, but rather to advance the needs of Africans. 

MK is notorious for hiring and firing members in leadership positions and, after booting out 15 MPs, it has seats up for grabs in the National Assembly.

“I have not been offered any position and I am joining as an ordinary member. [The criticism for joining MK] is expected by people who watch from the outside and I am not shaken by that. I was removed from Cope, so I did not leave out of my own will. 

“I am joining another party, so what? Things evolve and who knows how things will evolve in the future. My decision is well thought through and I am happy with this step,” she said.

MK has widely been criticised for its lack of gender parity. It recently appointed Nombuso Mkhize as its deputy secretary-general, but this is a far cry from being truly representative. 

Makhubele knows that it will be daunting to enter a space that is male-dominated, but says she is up for the task. 

“I have not been happy with the gender parity of the MK party. As one woman, I know I will not make much of a difference. I want to challenge the negativity around the party and its gender parity and encourage women to take the plunge,” said Makhubele. 

MK welcomes Makhubele


She has led and served on several boards of private and state-owned companies, including the South African Post Office, from where she was axed in 2020 after she accused the then communications minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams of abusing her powers and acting unconstitutionally.

MK welcomed Makhubele to the organisation and praised “her sheer brilliance and tenacity of championing the revolution and unapologetically standing up [for] what is fair and just as well with the new era the party finds itself chartering [sic], which is one characterised by bold political strategy, unwavering commitment to the people and a clear vision for the future”.

“We are confident that comrade Makhubele will not only confidently defend the revolution, but she will work tediously [sic] to help the party in achieving economic freedom in our lifetime and rightfully returning land to our people,” read the statement.

Makhubele’s announcement was made just a day after eight MK members were sworn into Parliament.

Former Eskom CEO Brian Molefe, former Prasa CEO Lucky Montana and former Transnet CEO Siyabonga Gama were part of the group. Mzwanele Jimmy Manyi, the party’s chief whip, was also sworn in alongside Thembisile Mjadu, Nompumelelo Gasa, Gezani Kobane and Thulani Gamede. DM

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