To deep instability and mistrust
Its court cases have been dramatic, with the party disintegration in the ranks. By
things because we have to go out and convince people to vote for MK and when they ask about these issues, we don’t have clear and concise answers.
“But we will continue to work for the party because we didn’t join it because of Khumalo. We joined it because of Zuma and will continue as long as he is there at the top.
“My take is that you cannot keep people who are working with your enemies, especially when you are facing such a tough election ahead,” she said.
Zakhele Ndlovu, an independent political analyst and senior politics lecturer at the University of Kwazulu-natal, said that, although the expulsion of Khumalo and company will not change many voters’ choices, it does point to instability in the party.
“I don’t think the latest expulsions will have an impact, despite the fact that one of those expelled is the founder of the party. Many people in the MK party are there because they support Zuma, and Khumalo does not have his own following outside the party. So this will not change the minds of people who [have] already decided that they will vote for the party based on their support for Zuma.
“Khumalo was virtually unknown until he came into prominence as the founding leader of the party. When it emerged that Zuma would be the presidential candidate of the party, nobody was surprised. But what these expulsions do suggest is that there is deep instability and mistrust within the party and many people who were aiming to join the party might be dissuaded from doing so, citing this instability.”
Ndlovu said the leadership squabbles are but one of the challenges facing the party. “The party is also facing allegations that it forged the signatures that allowed it to contest the elections. We don’t know how that will play itself out.
“There are also ongoing rumours that the party is getting financial support from Russia and other shady people. But MK is not alone there because there are many other parties that get their funding from unknown sources, and that is why the matter of funding of political parties should be thoroughly scrutinised,” said Ndlovu.