MK party leaders have been in the spotlight for their public spats with one another.
Deputy president of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party John Hlophe says the party is not falling apart.
The party has been criticised for its internal conflicts that have played out in public.
This comes after a leaked letter revealed that Hlophe had removed party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela as one of the party whips in parliament.
The letter described Ndhlela as displaying bad behaviour and engaging in factional politics.
Storm around MK party’s Ndhlela
Hlophe confirmed to reporters that he had removed Ndhlela as a whip.
“We had to terminate the whippery status of Nhlamulo Ndhlela. He was the deputy whip remember, and no longer a whip.
“We decided to terminate that for the reasons that were given to him. There is a letter that was written by my office on 23 June 2025,” he said.
Despite the ongoing factional battles in the MK party, Hlophe said the party continues to be an effective player in national politics.
“As the MK party, we are highly regarded in parliament, we are disciplined, and we are not there to swear at people. That is not our role, they can swear at us, but they are disintegrating. Proof of that is that we have won most of the by-elections where we have participated,” he said.
Ndhlela has denied in several media interviews that he has been removed as a whip in his party. He said it was fake news.
But Hlophe said Nhlamulo had been served with a letter that communicated his removal as a whip.
“When it was clear that he had received the letter, his story changed, and he said the letter was fake. He said, ‘No, this is not the signature of the parliamentary leader. If anything, this has been forged.’ Let me confirm categorically that the letter came from my office,” he said.
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Controversy around Makhubele
Meanwhile, Hlophe said Colleen Makhubele is doing a great job as the party’s chief whip.
This comes after another letter was leaked, indicating that the MK party’s parliamentary caucus was unhappy with Makhubele’s leadership.
“If any complaint is made against any staff member of MK, it is brought to me because I am ultimately responsible. There is no letter.
“There is no letter, there is no petition in terms of which MPs are calling for the head of the chief whip. This is a figment of someone’s imagination, quite frankly.
“Colleen Makhubele remains a chief whip here, she is very good and she is very effective as a chief whip,” he said.
Makhubele has been accused of being an Israel supporter and of running the caucus with an iron fist.
In her defence, she told reporters that she supported the views of the party.
“I came from Cope, I came from my own party Sara, and we shared different views on even privatisation of state assets. We have now decided to come together under the umbrella of the MK party, abiding by the people’s mandate and the views and postures that are shared by the MK party and its membership collectively, and President Zuma appreciated that,” she said.
She said she and the rest of her caucus were shocked to learn of a letter demanding her removal.
Makhubele joined the MK party after the collapse of her party SA Rainbow Alliance (Sara). There are some who have challenged her quick ascent in the party, saying she was not there when the party was started.
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