Duduzile Zuma blasted Floyd Shivambu, calling him the worst thing to happen to the MK party. Despite calls for an apology, she seems ready for a fallout.
Former president Jacob Zuma’s daughter, Duduzile Zuma, has declared war on Floyd Shivambu, the secretary-general of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party.
On Monday night, Duduzile used her X account to fire salvos at Shivambu, describing him as the worst thing that had happened to the MK party.
Some Shivambu supporters were outraged by her remarks, which led to bitter exchanges between them and Duduzile.
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Will Duduzile apologise?
Hours later, the MK party instructed Duduzile to apologise or face disciplinary action.
However, an apology seems unlikely.
“They will expel me tomorrow (Tuesday). It is well with my soul,” she said.
MK party factions go head-to-head
Professor Ntsikelelo Breakfast, a political analyst from Nelson Mandela University (NMU), told The Citizenon Tuesday that the MK party currently has two factions.
He said one faction supports Duduzile, who is seen as a close ally of her father. The other faction is being led by Shivambu, who was recently recruited into the MK party and brings a wealth of political experience and knowledge.
“There are two factions in the MK, one behind Duduzile because she is the daughter of the president and the one behind Floyd. I cannot confirm who the powerful one is,” Breakfast said.
He said it is clear that Duduzile is not happy with Shivambu’s appointment to the position of secretary-general.
“She is bitter because maybe she feels overlooked. This looks like a deep-rooted conflict. The fact that her father is a founder of the party makes her feel that she is untouchable,” he said.
Breakfast said Duduzile’s “arrogance” indicated that she knows she has power over her father.
Is Dududzile being treated with kid gloves?
Breakfast said if any other member had insulted the party’s secretary-general on a public platform, they would have been suspended already.
“Had it been someone else, they would have been suspended on the spot.
“This will affect the party negatively because you can see that it’s buying faces. This person who conflicts with Floyd is taking advantage of that,” he said.
Duduzile has publicly supported her father during court cases and public attacks. Breakfast said her father would want to show her the same favour in her battles in the MK party.
“She knows that in exchange for what she has done for her father, he will sympathise with her and treat her with kid gloves,” he said.
Can Shivambu win against the Zuma family?
Breakfast said Shivambu has little chance of winning a fight with Duduzile.
“He is on the back foot; he has just joined the party and was parachuted into his position.”
Breakfast said he was shocked by the Zuma family’s sense of entitlement in the MK party.
He said there is nothing wrong with the children of party leaders being part of party activities. However, they do not have to occupy senior positions.
“It does not mean you must have a position because your father is the party’s president. She [Duduzile] does not have political credentials, and she is arrogant,” he said.
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