Disgruntled MK Party members to march to Nkandla

Disgruntled MK Party members to march to Nkandla

Durban — Tensions are expected to run high as disgruntled Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) members plan to stage a protest outside former president Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla home on Wednesday.

Although none of the expelled or demoted leaders wanted to confirm the protest, the party’s national leadership confirmed it.

MKPs national spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela said the party was aware of the action but downplayed the security concern for the former president.

MKPs head of programmes in KwaZulu-Natal, Musa Mkhize said he was aware of the march. He added that those planning a march in Nkandla would be vindicating the party that it was correct in its decision to remove them. Mkhize said it was not true that those expelled from the party were not given reasons for expulsion.

However, he refused to share the expulsion reasons with the Daily News and said it was the right of those dismissed to go public with the reasons if they wanted to.

The party sent shock waves recently by expelling Jabulani Khumalo who registered the party and other members. MKP was yet to publicly outline the reasons for Khumalo’s expulsion except for calling him “a rogue element”.

But rumours were that Khumalo was working with the ANC.

Khumalo had refused to comment when the rumours surfaced, saying he was not commenting at that time.

Ndhlela had said the party would give reasons in a media briefing it was planning to call, which never happened. Attempts to get Khumalo to comment on Monday were unsuccessful. He had not responded to questions sent to him by the time of publication.

Nhlanhla Ngidi, who was removed from his position as the MKP provincial co-ordinator, denied knowledge of the march.

Another party member who was once accused of being an ANC spy, Thulani Gamede, denied any knowledge about the march, saying he did not think anyone would do that to Zuma.

Gamede was fingered by the Injeje yabeNguni group leader Phumlani Mfeka as one of the party members working with a top ANC national executive committee member to destroy the MKP from within. Both Gamede and the ANC denied the claims.

A member of the MKP party in Gauteng, Themba Mnisi, who was heard on a circulating voice note warning the marchers, confirmed to the paper on Monday that the party was informed by its intelligence that those who were expelled from the party were planning to “invade” Zuma’s house. He added that he had already informed Zuma.

“We got the information from our intelligence and I have sent the message to ubaba,” said Mnisi.

In the voice clip, Mnisi said the march was being organised by the people who took money to destroy the party. He added that after seeing that their sabotage plan had failed now wanted to attack Nkandla. He warned that Zuma’s home was not Luthuli House and warned them that they would find MKP members ready for them, saying that Nkandla was not a playground.

The MKP has replaced Gamede with Bongani Khoza from Hammarsdale, west of Durban.

Gamede downplayed his removal, saying he accepted the decision and would remain a loyal party member.

Although the party said it was redeploying rather than sacking these leaders, insiders said it was cleansing itself of ANC spies.

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