Just about three months after being formed uMkhonto weSizwe is already experiencing infighting.
The party this week removed its appointed interim youth leader, former student activist Bonginkosi Khanyile without explanation and its presidential candidate former President Jacob Zuma warned that more people will be removed soon.
Zuma who addressed supporters outside the Johannesburg High Court following the postponement of his private prosecution case against his predecessor Cyril Ramaphosa said there was pockets of ill-discipline in the MK including the formation of parallel structures which he said will be weeded out.
“We are not even three months old but we already had remove certain people from positions, you would have seen letters being circulated. We are not playing. Anybody who does as they wish will be removed because we unlike others we are a party of discipline,” said Zuma in iSizulu without getting into details.
He said more people will be removed from positions they have been holding on an interim basis because of ill-discipline and power mongering.
“We said because we are a new party we are not going to stress ourselves with things like conference because those can divide us so we are all interim and can be removed anytime if we don’t perform as expected. Its only after winning a two thirds majority in the upcoming elections that we are going to start with those processes of electing leaders and even then we will not elect those who are currently failing,” said Zuma.
“Bullies and strongmen who impose themselves and demand positions have no place in MK. We know others forced or paid their way into the candidate list and we are going to deal with them including at the very top. Even on the eve of the election we can still remove people from positions because we are not here to play,” said Zuma.
Meanwhile a statement is being circulated on the MK Youth Congress letterhead rejecting Khanyile’s demotion to an ordinary member.