MKP leader Jacob Zuma has issued a warning against ambitious members who have already considered themselves as party councilors before they have been formally appointed.
Image: Willem Phungula
Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) leader Jacob Zuma has warned his party members that there will not be ‘self-appointed’ councillor candidates as the party prepares for this year's local government elections.
Addressing the party’s eThekwini regional consultative forum on Sunday, Zuma told the gathering that it has come to the party’s attention that there were already members who have already appointed themselves as councillor candidates, without the approved processes of the party. He said that only the party can appoint people.
“We hear that there are people who are going around claiming that they are councillor candidates for the party. We must stop fighting for petty things and we must not lose our important task, which is to take over the country...we must stand united. We are selecting candidates correctly, we must not have self-appointed people. We must stop that. People will be appointed by the leadership, not by his or her friends,” said Zuma.
According to the MKP selection processes, the party uses consensus and considers voting as the last resort. The candidates are not voted for by branch members as the party does not have elected leadership. If the two processes fail, the party leadership then appoints candidates using its own discretion.
Zuma also directed the members to double down and win eThekwini municipality which he said has all the resources needed.
The party bagged 400,000 votes during the 2024 general elections in eThekwini alone. During its first anniversary in 2024 which was held at Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban, the party announced that it was already preparing to govern the R60 billion budget City and the only Metro in KwaZulu-Natal.
The MKP’s ambition of governing is expected to be thwarted by the possible extension of the Government of Provincial Unity between ANC, IFP and the DA. There is already corridor talk that the three parties plan to expand their provincial coalition arrangement to block the MKP.
The IFP is already working with the ANC in eThekwini - this led to IFP caucus leader Mdu Nkosi being appointed to chair the critical portfolio of Trading Services which incorporates water, sanitation as well as electricity. The party also co-governs Umvoti Local Municipality in Greytown with the ANC and they have a voting arrangement in the KwaDukuza Local Municipality.
Zuma also reiterated his call for the complete overhaul of the country’s constitution. He said it was wrong that the country was still being governed by Roman Dutch laws, which he referred to as the laws of the oppressors.
He also hinted at calling for the postponement of the upcoming local government elections, urging that the election be put on hold pending the party’s appeal of the 2024 election results.
The case against the IEC is expected to be heard on May 6 in the Electoral Court in Johannesburg.
willem.phungula@inl.co.za