If you don’t perform, you are out of MKP, we don’t play: Zuma

Jacob Zuma, the president of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party, asserted during a recent meeting with political candidates that the party stands firm on its stance that underperformance will result in exclusion from participation. This declaration comes amid ongoing fluctuations in the party's leadership and has been made in the wake of recent dismissals of party officials who advocated for changes to the candidate list.

The uMkhonto weSizwe Party is set to participate in South Africa's upcoming local government elections, slated for November 4, 2026. Zuma's assurance that the party will contest these elections for the first time carries with it a conditional promise that the party will not play if its candidates fail to meet expectations.

The recent leadership changes within the party, including the dismissals of Dr Khanyisile Litchfield-Tshabalala and Member of Parliament Pumlani Kubukeli, have been attributed to actions deemed detrimental to the party's reputation and organizational integrity. Despite these upheavals, Zuma remains confident that the party will perform well in the upcoming elections. He reiterated that if candidates underperform, they will not remain a part of the party, emphasizing the strict adherence to the party's standards.

Dr Litchfield-Tshabalala, one of the dismissed officials, expressed confusion over the reasons behind her expulsion, emphasizing that her character has been unfairly targeted. She maintains that the party's actions reflect poorly on her personal reputation rather than on the integrity of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party itself. Litchfield-Tshabalala's perspective adds a dimension of perceived injustice to the leadership changes, suggesting that the truth will eventually prevail.