Jacob Zuma’s MK party has defied the odds, growing stronger after the 2024 elections and winning big in by-elections across the country, writes Zukile Majova in his Real Politics column.
Jacob Zuma is as strong as an ox at age 83 — and so is his party.
Week after week, his MK party keeps gaining ground, shocking analysts by staying strong after the elections.
MK has won five wards in three provinces so far and is dominating this year’s by-elections.
In KwaZulu-Natal, the political battleground has shifted. It’s no longer the ANC versus the IFP — it’s everyone versus MK.
And MK is winning.
In theory, the rise of a black-led party challenging the ANC should be good for democracy. But this is no ordinary party.
It was founded by Jacob Zuma — the man blamed for the nine wasted years of state capture and corruption. Over R1-trillion vanished under his rule.
Now he’s back, along with many of the same faces who hollowed out the state.
Rather than being held accountable, they’ve been rewarded with seats in Parliament.
In the beginning, MK looked like a circus. Zuma kept firing and replacing secretaries and treasurers. After the elections, the party submitted two different lists of MPs to Parliament.
No one knew who was in charge. There was no political ideology, no clear policies and no national strategy.
Then Floyd Shivambu arrived.
The EFF co-founder brought much-needed discipline and structure. He had built the EFF’s student movement from scratch and knew how to grow a political machine.
Inside Zuma’s camp, no one comes close to Shivambu’s organising skills.
Zuma’s daughter Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla tried to step up, but she failed to connect with ordinary voters and doesn’t speak isiZulu — a major weakness in KZN.
Shivambu, who is from Limpopo, was branded an outsider by Duduzile’s allies. They’ve tried to push him out for months.
But Zuma won’t hear of it. He knows Shivambu is the glue holding the party together.
Officially, disgraced former judge president John Hlophe is MK’s deputy leader. But in reality, he’s been sidelined.
Hlophe has stumbled through his new role as leader of the opposition in Parliament — a position he clearly wasn’t ready for.
The real power lies with Shivambu, who serves as secretary general and effectively Zuma’s number two.
Thanks to Shivambu’s leadership, Zuma has stepped back from the day-to-day grind and now spends more time with his grandchildren at his R250-million Nkandla villa.
Zuma’s health was a major concern during the campaign. He collapsed at home and looked frail. Many doubted he would make it to the end of the year.
But he’s bounced back — showing up at rallies looking healthier and more energised than ever.
Insiders say he moves with a spring in his step and looks ten years younger.
Gone are the days when people could simply drop in at Nkandla. These days, supporters must go through party channels to get a meeting.
MK is no longer just another breakaway. It has stayed in the headlines, attracted new supporters and outperformed older parties in by-elections.
No one — not the ANC, the DA or the IFP — can afford to ignore it.
Zuma recently rejected an invitation from the ANC to restart talks about the government of national unity.
MK leaders believe that by consolidating support in KZN, they could collapse the current coalition government made up of the ANC, DA and IFP.
They only need three more seats in the KZN legislature to take over the provincial government.
This week, the ANC sent secretary general Fikile Mbalula and a delegation from its national executive to KZN to figure out how to rebuild support.
MK has already slashed the ANC’s provincial vote share from 55% to 17% — winning three former ANC wards despite the party deploying senior figures like Jeff Radebe and Mike Mabuyakhulu.
Zuma has dismissed the idea of joining the GNU, saying it’s too toxic. MK insiders say being linked to the GNU would damage the party’s image among voters angry with the ANC.
To many who are gatvol with the ANC, parties in the GNU are seen as enablers — helping the ANC cling to power despite its failures.
The DA, now the second biggest GNU partner, will soon have to reassess whether the alliance is worth it — especially with local government elections on the horizon.
If DA voters don’t see clear signs that their party is improving national governance, they may see the DA as simply propping up the ANC.
Zuma sees the GNU as a poisoned chalice. He believes MK can reach the government on its own.
And if the MK ends up in governing, people will blame Shivambu for making State Capture 2.0 possible.
Because without him, Zuma wouldn’t have a growing party to lead.
Pictured above: Former president Jacob Zuma and Floyd Shivambu
Image source: Umkhonto Wesizwe
