UMkhonto Wesizwe Party (MKP) leadership are expected to visit Mpumalanga province to engage warring factions and most importantly to try and convince Mary Phadi whom it expelled to vacate her position as Member of Provincial Legislature and Party Leader. This follows a successful challenge by Phadi which set aside the decision to expel her from MKP for alleged misappropriation of funds. Phadi confirmed to Newsnote that she carries on as usual.
“I am working. That letter has since become null and void, it means nothing, we have work to do,” said Phadi referring to a letter of expulsion sent to her by MKP Secretary General Floyd Shivambu and has since gone viral.
Phadi held a competing rally to that of her rival and purported replacement Busisiwe Mkhwebane who has been unable to take up a seat in the legislature as its the former who is recognised and thus paid a salary.
“We want to have one MK, a unified MK so the officials and members of the High Command will be visiting Mpumalanga to talk to everyone,” said Shivambu during a recent media briefing.
Shivambu suggested reinstating Phadi was out of the question emphasising that the National High Command and in particular party leader former President Jacob Zuma picked Mkhwebane and she remained the preferred leader.
“We have to set the record straight and say Commander Busisiwe Mkhwebane is the Convener of MK in Mpumalanga and that is not up for discussion but we are willing to listen to everyone so that we are not seen as rigid and ignoring concerns,” said Shivambu.
Shivambu warned aggrieved members that while the party was willing to listen to them it would not be held at ransom.
“We consult on everything. None of the decisions and appointments we made were just an idea of an individual. The entire high command deliberate on these things and the president (Zuma) makes the final call,” he said.
As MKP experiences divisions including a pushback against Shivambu led by Duduzile Zuma-Sambutha ( daughter of Jacob Zuma), the ANC and the Economic Freedom Fighters are on the ground trying to rebuild after shedding votes to the then newly formed party.
Political analyst Melusi Ncala said while MKP is experiencing turbulence it was not a foregone conclusion that the ANC and the EFF would recover lost ground. MKP said discussions with groupings in Mpumalanga are confidential and therefore there won’t be public announcements of specific meetings.Phadi remains a member of the legislature where she also fulfills the role of leader of the opposition with full benefits.