‘Remove Jacob Zuma as face of MK Party’: Salvo from Jabulani Khumalo to IEC

The founder of the newly launched MK Party (MKP), Jabulani Khumalo, has told the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to remove former president Jacob Zuma as the face of party and from its list of potential members of parliament.

In his letter to the IEC dated May 5, Khumalo said Zuma fraudulently occupies 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 No 1 on the MKP's list of candidates for the National Assembly.

Khumalo is seemingly fighting back against Zuma, who last month expelled him from the party. Announcing his expulsion, the MKP 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 MKP on September 3 2023;
• Zuma’s involvement with the party was merely through consultations and fundraising;
• during the consultations it was understood Zuma would not be a member of the party but he would assist in the election campaign;
• Zuma is not a member of the interim leadership structure; and
• there were rumours 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 are not in the party’s national executive committee but have been active in the MKP. 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 the MKP leadership structure will take steps to immediately address Zuma's conduct.

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