Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla has publicly backed sacked MKP spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela.
Image: X
Nhlamulo Ndhlela’s apparent purging for allegedly penning the uMkhonto weSizwe Party’s statement suggesting that President Jacob Zuma and his national command had been disbanded is set to divide the party.
Since his removal, both as a Member of Parliament and the national spokesperson on Sunday in an impromptu media briefing, Ndhlela has received backing from one of the senior party members, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla.
In her series of messages on X since Monday, Zuma’s daughter appeared to have broken ranks with her father and publicly backed Ndhlela, calling him a sacrificial lamb.
Although the party dismissed that he was ousted because of the statement, which it recalled on Sunday, it is widely believed that his fallout with Zuma emanated from the statement, which was apparently penned by him.
The statement, which was read in front of Zuma and other senior leaders on Saturday, revealed that a new structure called MKP Institute was now in charge of the party and had replaced the national executive committee, known as the National Command.
However, the party’s Secretary-General Sibonelo Nomvalo, also in front of Zuma and other senior leaders, read a new statement nullifying Saturday's statement.
He also announced Ndhlela’s removal and unveiled former The Star editor Sifiso Mahlangu as the new spokesperson.
After being removed from his MP seat and spokesperson position, the party also announced his membership suspension on Monday.
Ndhlela was accused of sowing division and putting the party into disrepute. The party also announced that his membership would remain suspended pending investigation of his alleged misconduct.
"The suspension shall remain in effect until the investigation has been concluded and a final determination has been made," read the statement.
However, this appeared to anger Zuma-Sambudla, who took to X to publicly criticise the party’s decision.
In one of her first tweets, she reposted a message that suggested she was the one who recruited Ndhlela to the party after inviting him to come and be programme director during the first party media briefing on December 16, 2023.
@DZumaSambudla wrote: "14th Dec 2023, The Call That Changed Your Destiny @NhlamuloNdhlela: 'Darling, What Are You Doing 16 Dec, I Need Your Good English To MC And To Hold Down A Program For Dad, Keep It Low, I’ll Give You Detail When You Get To My House Tomorrow For Final Planning' The Rest Is History … (The Pics Below Where Taken Right Before We Left For The Historical Announcement, Spitfire Said: 'President, I Need A Picture With You Because This Day Will Go Down In History'."
The text was accompanied by a picture of Ndhlela and Zuma, captioned that it was taken before going to the historical media briefing. It was in the meeting where Zuma announced the establishment of the MKP, adding that he would campaign and vote for it despite still being a member of the ANC.
In another tweet on Wednesday, where she tagged Ndhlela, she wrote: "They will never erase you as they were not even here when we defeated all the charlatans, including Jabulani Khumalo. There would be no MKP of president Zuma standing today without you by my side."
Zuma-Sambudla’s tirade against the party's decision comes after mass resignations of members and volunteers in Gauteng, who lashed out at the party’s national leadership, calling for its disbandment.
The exodus also included senior party members such as Floyd Shivhambu and former Secretary-General Dr Bongani Mncwango. The party also saw the resignation of Members of Parliament, which included Coleen Makhubele and Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane.
Weighing in on the latest developments, political analyst Professor Ntsikelelo Breakfast said that, as much as Zuma-Sambudla’s outburst can be seen as ill-disciplined, it should be expected in a party that has no elected leadership.
He said it would be difficult for members to continue respecting decisions of an unelected leadership because it lacks authority.
"What we are seeing in the party is the clear sign of persistent instability, which is caused by a lack of authority. The question is, where does the party leadership get the mandate to take all these decisions? On whose behalf and interests do they take these decisions? Who do they account to after all?" asked Breakfast.
Furthermore, he cast doubt on the party’s chances of success in the upcoming local government elections, saying it is clear it would go to the polls divided.
Zuma-Sambudla did not respond to questions sent to her to elaborate about her series of tweets, while attempts to get the party’s new spokesperson, Sifiso Mahlangu, were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
Meanwhile, former party Member of Parliament Pappa Penny was unveiled as Shivhambu’s Afrika Mayibuye Movement’s new member on Wednesday.