By Celani Sikhakhane
- The MK suspended three members after confusion over who should represent them in a Pietermaritzburg by-election.
- The party lost the ward to the ANC after two different groups put forward competing candidates for the same position.
The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK) has suspended three members, including a candidate who wrongly stood in a recent by-election in Pietermaritzburg.
The party has taken action against Sthabile Nkabinde for accepting the nomination even though he lost the internal party vote to be the candidate.
The MK also suspended Dr Kwazi Mbanjwa in a separate case involving R56-million allegedly missing from the KZN Legislature. Cebile Zuma was suspended for signing nomination papers for the wrong candidate.
“UMkhonto weSizwe Party would like to send a clear and unequivocally message that it is not an organisation of anarchy and lawlessness. No member of the organisation will be permitted to act outside the prescription of the constitution, the collective mandate and discipline,” the party said in a statement.
The trouble began during the Ward 2 by-election in Sweetwaters on 18 December, when two different MK candidates tried to represent the party.
Party convener Willies Mchunu’s group backed Nkosinathi Mshengu, who won 157 votes at a community meeting. Another group, led by Mbanjwa and Thobani Zuma, supported Nkabinde, who got 137 votes.
At the time allegations surfaced that Nkabinde was the nephew of Thobani Zuma hence he supported him to be the by-election MKP candidate despite having not garnered majority backing at the internal party selection process.
The confusion hurt the party at the polls. The ANC won the ward with 1,602 votes, while the MK got 1,160 votes and the IFP received 344 votes. The ward became empty after the IFP fired its councillor for bad behaviour.
MK Secretar- General Floyd Shivambu said some people went behind the party’s back to remove Mshengu’s name from the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
“Commander Mchunu rightfully challenged the wrongful candidate in court. Despite the court’s refusal, we managed to reaffirm our principle on the candidature of Mshengu,” said Shivambu.
Pictured above: MKP Chiefwhip at the KZN legislature Dr Kwazi Mbanjwa was suspended again for another case involving the uMsunduzi by-election.
Source: X
