Zuma will continue to have unfettered control of MK, with no elective conference in sight

Months after the formation of SA’s now third-largest political party, uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK), it has established its highest decision-making body, called the National High Command, but has no intention of holding an elective conference any time soon.

It first wants to ensure “maximum stability” and have a “presence” in all corners of South Africa. This means that leader Jacob Zuma continues to have the prerogative to appoint leadership structures at all levels — indefinitely.

Established in late 2023 without any leadership structures or clear policies,  MK contested its first general election on 29 May and won 15% of the national vote.

“The MKP is at its establishment process and will not convene elective conferences because we know what such can do to undermine our unity and progress as an organisation,” according to a statement that was read on behalf of Zuma on Thursday at a media briefing in Sandton.

Read more: MK party announces National High Command, Floyd Shivambu gets key role as national organiser

Zuma said part of the reason for not heading to a conference was that the gatherings were often “bought”, used for wrong reasons and created divisions — which MK could not afford.

“Conferences have become fake. People use money. They buy people to vote for them and do everything. We are saying that is not going to happen to the MK,” Zuma said.

The decision raises questions about the importance of democracy in the party and its stability. It also raises questions over the legitimacy of the people appointed to lead the party and whether it has a succession plan.

The formation of the National High Command comes amid Zuma’s continued fight with the ANC, an organisation which he was a part of for decades and vowed to be a part of until he died. Last month, the ANC announced his expulsion for breaching its constitution.

MK spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela said on Thursday that Zuma had appealed against the decision.

“The president launched an appeal within the stipulated 21-day period and we have email correspondence from the [ANC National Disciplinary Committee] in this regard. This is obviously between President Zuma and the ANC, but as the MKP he has our full support.”

Read more: Expelled Zuma ‘clandestinely’ undermined ANC, NDC found

Explaining why he said he would die an ANC member, even after the formation of the MK party last year, Zuma said: “It is because I love history, I know history. The ANC was established by our ancestors to defend the black people who was being suppressed by the white [people].

“[The ANC founders] knew what they were doing and it was an organisation for all of us… They realised that a black person is being taken out of his own country whilst living in his own country, and it was important for us to [form the party]. And if we have to die for it, we must. Many have died for it, fighting for our liberation.

“Some of us, we respect that organisation that was established by our ancestors, because it was correct, it was true,” Zuma said.

The ANC’s acting spokesperson, Zuko Godlimpi, could not be reached for comment by the time of publishing.

Zuma’s ‘high command’

The members of the "high command" include party president Zuma, impeached judge John Hlophe (deputy president), secretary-general Dr Sifiso Maseko, deputy secretary-general Nombuso Mkhize, treasurer-general Menzi Ngubane, chairperson Nathi Nhleko and deputy national chairperson Wilson Sebiloane. Floyd Shivambu, the former EFF deputy president who joined the party last week, will serve as national organiser.

Nhleko’s appointment comes as no surprise. He is a longtime ally of Zuma who gained notoriety during the debacle over upgrades to Zuma’s Nkandla homestead. During an infamous press briefing in 2015, Nhleko, who was police minister at the time, exonerated Zuma of all accountability for the costs of the upgrades.

Shivambu’s appointment is more interesting. Zuma was among those who spearheaded Shivambu and Julius Malema’s removal from the ANC. Years later, after the EFF was formed, Shivambu was at the forefront of those chastising Zuma over the Nkandla upgrades, bringing Parliament to a standstill multiple times with calls for Zuma to “pay back the money”.

Despite their complex relationship, they sang each other’s praises on Thursday.

“I picked up that he is a real politician; his politics … I define as scientific. He is an honest politician, clear politically, he takes decisions at the right time,” Zuma said about Shivambu.

Shivambu said: “There is no dictatorship, there are political discussions. All the times we have got to interact with Zuma he has the patience to have political and ideological discussions to persuade people about how we move forward.”

The top eight structure, which comprises just one woman, has been tasked with the “full” establishment of MK as a liberation movement ahead of preparations for the 2026 local government election and the 2029 national elections.

Read more: MK’s erratic decisions and lack of structures could cost it dearly, say analysts

Uniting the opposition

During the press conference on Thursday, little emphasis was placed on the elections but rather on SA’s political landscape, including opposition to the Government of National Unity and the “ANC of Ramaphosa”.

The MK leadership called for the unification of small political parties representing black people to fight against what they called “white minority rule” in South Africa.

“We have an obligation as progressive forces to rise above our differences and build a solid and sound organisation that will represent our people genuinely,” said Zuma.

“There is unnecessarily a high number of political parties in South Africa, and such undermines the unity of the oppressed who have still not won the struggle against colonialism. Those who defeated us and continue to oppress us are united, but we the oppressed are divided into many small parties. We as the MKP will strive for the ultimate unity of political parties that represent our people.”

Shivambu will take control of political education, monitoring, governance and the establishment of structures; he voiced similar sentiments on the unification of smaller parties.

“We are building a revolutionary movement to emancipate the black majority and Africans in particular and we are unapologetic about that, that is what we stand for.”

Following the establishment of the decision-making body, the party is considering holding a policy conference in December. DM