The MK party has lost yet another prominent member in secretary general Arthur Zwane, who resigned on Monday citing an inability to balance the amount of work the position demanded and his personal business interests. (Photo by Deaan Vivier/Beeld/Gallo Images via Getty Images)
The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party has lost yet another prominent member in secretary general Arthur Zwane, who resigned on Monday citing an inability to balance the amount of work the position demanded and his personal business interests.
In a letter addressed to party leader Jacob Zuma, Zwane said the volume of work in the secretariat office was beyond his limits.
“I will be available to help with other organisational matters you want me to help with — however, not on a full-time basis,” Zwane wrote.
The party has appointed Sifiso Maseko in his place. Maseko is the fourth secretary general the party has had since it was launched about six months ago.
Zwane assumed the position when Sihle Ngubane left to become an MP, under the party’s directive that legislators cannot assume positions in the national executive committee.
Ngubane had replaced Thanduxolo “Gorbachev” Dyodo, who was dismissed after a series of administrative concerns within the party.
Before joining the MK party, Zwane was a prominent ANC member in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal.
Zwane was charged and arrested in 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic, for allegedly shooting a security guard who tried to compel him to use hand sanitiser.
He was sworn in last week, alongside 57 other MK party members. It is unclear whether he will remain an MP.
The MK party boycotted the first sitting of parliament on 14 June in protest against the election results. Zwane claimed they misrepresented “millions and millions” of votes.
Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela said Zwane remains a member of the organisation and will be redeployed.
“Everyone is a volunteer and people within the organisation, especially with leadership, get redeployed into areas that can use them even better.
“As you would know, Sihle Ngubane, the previous [secretary general], moved from the party and from being [secretary general] to taking up a role as chief whip. So, there’s going to be a lot of movements and people being redeployed in various positions,” Ndhlela said.
More on their way
Soon after Zwane’s departure, Zuma removed the party’s treasury general Danisa Zulu from her position with immediate effect, without reason, replacing her with Menzi Magubane.
The latest drama involving the ANC breakaway party started with a letter from Zuma to Zulu dated 28 July 2024, in which he told her that she was being replaced by Magubane and should hand over her responsibilities to the new treasurer general.
“This serves to express my heartfelt appreciation for the outstanding and priceless revolutionary work you have done for the MK party,” Zuma wrote.
“Owing to the need to use our limited and available human capital efficiently, I have decided to relinquish you from the treasury general functions with immediate effect. I will soon engage you regarding a new role you can play.”
This comes as Zuma prepares to face charges by the ANC which could see him expelled for endorsing another party while still a member of the liberation movement which has been his political home for decades.
Zuma will appear before the ANC’s national disciplinary committee on 17 July on charges of misconduct after he endorsed the MK party last December. The former president has maintained that he remains a member of the ANC in good standing, despite having said he established MK to unseat “Ramaphosa’s ANC”.
MK is the third-biggest party in the country, after claiming 14.58% of the national votes in the 29 May general elections.
The ANC’s national executive council suspended Zuma’s membership with immediate effect on 30 January, in terms of the party’s rule 25.60 which enables it to suspend members if justifiable exceptional circumstances warrant the immediate decision of temporary suspension.
“This can be done without eliciting the comment or response of the members in question,” secretary general Fikile Mbalula said at the time.
Zuma’s disciplinary hearing was postponed in May over “security concerns”, with the committee advised to hold it after the elections.