Former President Jacob Zuma will be leading uMkhon Wesizwe Party indifinitely and will appoint people to other posts whenever necessary.
The party released a constitution which does not provide for internal elections and gives Zuma decree to have a final a say on everything. The MKP constitution was unveiled at a media briefing in Johannesburg on Friday. The party cited fear of infiltration for the unprecedented decision.
“Why must we keep on electing? We call it democracy. But I’m sure all of you knows that today, those who win are those who have the money. Is that concerted? Is that democracy? You know that they are presidents, who are president, but they can’t do the presidency, do Anything that is presidential, like show corrupt business. Yeah, be those are behind those who have money have done, if you get elected, they think you are not doing what they want. They then give money your comrades, without you knowing that pay people to be able to have SO and SO become a leader.
“So we have leaders who are not the leaders of the membership, but the leaders that I’ve been elected by both people with money, I don’t think there is any democracy that we’re talking about, and we know it because we have suffered. We, many of you, have not, but some of us have as political parties, there are people who are leading. We’re not supposed, who don’t. We’re not meant to be leaders. They actually they don’t even know how to lead. I just wanted to clarify this. You should know is a well thought decision,” said Zuma in response to a Newsnote question.
National Organiser Floyd Shivambu said the constitution will help the party resolve tensions among its members who are forming parallel structures on the ground presumably in anticipation of elective conferences.
“This thing of gate keeping is not going to work and those who are doing it should henceforth allow as many people to join MK,” said Shivambu.
He said the decision was not temporary and hence the question does not provide for internal elections.
“There’s not going to be a conference. Even the conference does not make provision for elective conferences So those who joined thinking that they are going to master factionalism, that they may be given leadership responsibilities quickly will not have their way. We are not just going to operate as ourselves. We are going to account to traditional and religious leaders who have far much larger constituencies than a conference can help you. Yes, so there’s a base go into account. We’re not going to just open leaders ourselves, please. Some way we’re all going to account to religious leaders and the churches. So this somewhere will constituencies, some work to account as a leadership of South regional level. So this thing of gatekeeping doesn’t help,” he said.
The party has also decided to establish headquarters with offices in Johannesburg and Durban.
MKP Head of Presidency Magasela Mzobe said the establishment of the Durban office was meant to help the party maintain a strong presence in the province that gave it the most votes.