Jacob Zuma, leader of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, has postponed a meeting intended to address the alleged ‘unbearable’ conduct of MP Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla and party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela.
Sources within the party informed IOL that Jacob Zuma, Duduzile’s father, had scheduled a meeting for this weekend to address the allegations against the two MPs.
However, party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela stated that there is no such thing as a ‘disciplinary meeting,’ insisting that these claims are false and urging people not to spread misinformation
“I never got any call from the President telling me that there is a disciplinary hearing. There’s no such thing,” he said.
An insider has claimed that Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla and Nhlamulo Ndhlela attempted to approach Jacob Zuma in an effort to influence him and undermine both Colleen Makhubele, the parliamentary caucus leader, and John Hlophe, the parliamentary leader and deputy president.
However, Zuma has reportedly distanced himself from this initiative and denied any involvement.
“They actually wanted to throw Hlophe and Makhubele under the bus for their own good. They want to be in charge of MKP and they are trying by all means to get out everyone who is trying to make MKP relevant,” the source said.
Another source said: “This is how Floyd Shivambu was removed from his positions and pushed out of the party. Shivambu was not talking nonsense. This is why they did not want him.”
Hlophe denied claims that the MKP was ‘dying’ during the MKP briefing in Parliament on Thursday. He confirmed that the letters were authentic and had been issued by his office.
He arrived claiming he had not received the letter, said Hlophe, adding that despite confirmation of receipt, Ndhlela continued to conduct himself as though he was still a member of the team.
Hlophe also denied that a petition had been submitted by MK MPs calling for Makhubele’s dismissal.
“There is no petition against the chief whip. Makhubele remains the chief whip,” he said.
Reports indicate that the Zuma-Sambudla faction has advocated for the removal of Colleen Makhubele, while rival factions have mounted a counteroffensive aimed at sidelining both Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla and Nhlamulo Ndhlela.
This growing rift was highlighted by two letters that emerged on social media earlier this week.
One letter, authored by John Hlophe to party leader Jacob Zuma, accused Zuma-Sambudla and Ndhlela of engaging in ‘destructive and divisive’ behaviour.
The other, addressed directly to Ndhlela, formally informed him of his dismissal from a party position.
Amid these developments, a senior party representative acknowledged the presence of faction-driven agendas within the caucus but asserted that the MKP remained committed to its broader mission.
Since its formation in 2024, the MK Party has experienced a series of leadership upheavals.
The most recent shake-up involved the removal of Shivambu, a pivotal architect of the party’s founding constitution, signalling continued instability at the top.
kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za
IOL Politics
