Jabulani Khumalo tells IEC to remove Jacob Zuma as face of MK party

The founder of the newly launched uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party, Jabulani Khumalo, has told the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) to remove former president Jacob Zuma as the face of party and from its list of potential MPs.

In his letter to the IEC dated May 5, Khumalo said Zuma fraudulently occupied the positions.

“In these circumstances, I request urgently that the Electoral Commission should remove Mr Zuma’s name as the ‘face’ of MKP,” wrote Khumalo in the letter to the IEC.

“He should also be immediately removed as the president of the MKP. He occupies both positions through fraudulent and illegal manoeuvres.”

Zuma is number one on the MK party’s list of candidates for the National Assembly.

Khumalo is seemingly fighting back against Zuma, who expelled him from the party in April. Announcing his expulsion, the MK party claimed to have relied on intelligence that brought Khumalo’s conduct into question.

Khumalo has fired a salvo by writing to the IEC to remove Zuma from its lists. He has also written to Zuma to tell him he has been placed on precautionary suspension for what he claims are “several acts of misconduct”.

“These have brought the party into disrepute, and caused confusion within the broader public and the membership of the MKP. Specifically, you have purported to suspend me as the president of the party without following the procedures prescribed by the constitution of the party,” Khumalo said in his letter to Zuma also dated May 5.

“In these circumstances, you are hereby placed on precautionary suspension, pending disciplinary proceedings being brought against you in terms of the constitution of the MKP.”

Khumalo told the IEC:

• He registered the MK party on September 3 2023;
• Zuma’s involvement with the party was merely through consultations and fundraising;
• During the consultations it was understood that Zuma would not be a member of the party but he would assist in the election campaign;
• Zuma was not a member of the interim leadership structure; and
• There were rumours that Zuma was trying to hijack the party, which he said he dismissed.

On April 23, Khumalo said he was called to a meeting with individuals who were not in the party’s national executive committee but had been active in the party. It was at this meeting, Khumalo wrote, that Zuma announced Khumalo had been removed as the president of the party and he would become its president.

“During that meeting a fraudulent letter was prepared for transmission to the Electoral Commission announcing I would no longer be on the list of candidates and Mr Zuma would be the face and president of the MKP,” wrote Khumalo.

“I sent a letter to the Electoral Commission in which I confirmed Mr Zuma would be the face of the party. At no stage did I confirm Mr Zuma would be the president of the party.

“Mr Zuma’s conduct has brought the MKP into disrepute and he has acted contrary to the terms of the constitution of the party. He has purported to remove me as a party leader without following any procedures.”

Khumalo told the IEC that the MKP leadership structure would take steps to immediately address Zuma’s conduct.

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