POLITICS - A political analyst says the changes that former president Jacob Zuma has been making within the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party will affect it at the polls at the local government elections in November.

On Tuesday, Zuma’s party announced several changes to its leadership structure, including the removal of John Hlophe as deputy president, Nathi Nhleko as national chairperson, and Nomsa Dlamini as the party’s deputy secretary-general.

In the same briefing, Zuma’s party dissolved a newly appointed structure described as the Strategic Presidential Team (SPT) and reinstated a former structure the party described as the Presidential Task Team (PTT). The PTT will have overarching powers in the running of the party.

Zuma’s son, Duduzane, was also announced as the first deputy president for the party.

“The president hereby directs that the secretary-general and the treasurer-general shall return to work and resume their full responsibilities with immediate effect.

“Accordingly, the moratorium previously imposed on matters relating to the party’s finances, the Secretariat and communications is hereby lifted with immediate effect.

“All constitutional and administrative functions of these offices shall resume without delay,” said the party.

Changes affecting MK party’s image

Political analyst Ntsikelelo Breakfast told The Citizen on Wednesday that while the MK party performed well in the 2024 general elections, where it secured 15% of the national vote, it would not achieve the same impact in the upcoming local government elections.

“I do not think that the party is going to have an upward electoral trajectory. I think the party will get votes, but not the same as they got in the previous general elections.

“The personality of Zuma does pull some votes; he is a crowd puller because of his personality, but I do not think that the party will double up its efforts and get more votes,” he said.

Breakfast said the MK party has become known for instability and press conferences announcing changes to the party’s structures.

“That creates a particular perception, and it leads to people not taking the party seriously. I think the appointment of his son is the last straw and it demonstrates that this is a family business.”

Zuma dynasty

Breakfast said Duduzane Zuma’s appointment as deputy president signals that Zuma is only loyal to his family.

“His daughter let him down, so now he is bringing the son, but you can see that this is a family business that this thing is about me, my family and I. It’s not about liberating the people of this country,” he said.

He said the removal of Hlophe as party deputy president is further evidence that “Zuma uses people and dumps them”.

“Hlophe is going to leave now because this is a humiliation. The party has had about nine secretaries-general, even the current one they say he is on his way out.”

Article: Caxton publication, The Citizen

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