Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Lukef
Published on 2024-03-09 06:44:44
Former South African President Jacob Zuma has emerged as the face of the breakaway Umkhonto we Sizwe Party (MKP) in the upcoming national and provincial elections on 29 May. Zuma, who announced his support for the new party last December, is the number one candidate on the MKP list for the National Assembly.
The MKP’s national list includes a mix of political newcomers, long-time Zuma associates, and leaders of small parties or groups that have backed the former president. The party was registered by Jabulani Khumalo, who is ranked second on the list, followed by Sophonia Tsekedi, the president of the All African Alliance Movement (AAAM) whose church-based party declared Zuma as its preferred presidential candidate in January.
The leaked MKP list also features the names of prominent Zuma associates such as tenderpreneur Roy Moodley and Des Van Rooyen, South Africa’s shortest-serving finance minister. Both Moodley and Van Rooyen were involved in the Zondo Commission into state capture, where Zuma controversially walked out instead of facing cross-examination, resulting in a 15-month jail sentence for contempt.
Zuma’s daughter Duduzile is ranked 18th on the MKP national list, while Visvin Reddy, a former ANC, Democratic Alliance, and Minority Front councillor, is placed ninth. Reddy recently made headlines by threatening a violent uprising if the MKP was not allowed to register by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) but later apologized and claimed he was taken out of context after President Cyril Ramaphosa’s warning of possible arrest.
David Skosana, the husband of former Public Protector and current Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MP Busisiwe Mkhwebane, is ranked 15th on the MKP list, below former EFF MP Sipho Mbatha. Khoi San activist Glen Taaibosch and former African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) MP Wesley Douglas also feature on the list at positions 41 and 42, respectively.
The MKP’s campaign for the upcoming elections has garnered attention due to Zuma’s prominent role and the diverse composition of its candidate list. The party’s affiliation with Zuma and his associates has raised questions about its political objectives and potential impact on the political landscape in South Africa.
As the election date approaches, the MKP’s campaign and the involvement of former President Jacob Zuma continue to generate interest and speculation among voters and analysts alike. The outcome of the elections will determine the party’s future and its influence on the country’s political landscape.
Read the original article on Mail & Guardian
