Popular politician bounces back

Popular politician bounces back

Durban — After more than a year in the political wilderness, outspoken former KwaZulu-Natal ActionSA provincial chairperson, Makhosi Khoza is set to bounce back into politics.

As election campaigns move to top gear with parties launching their manifestos in the weeks to come, Khoza was sifting through many requests from political parties who were said to have approached her to bolster their campaigns and ultimately their performances in election mooted for the end of May.

The former eThekwini Municipal Public Accounts Committee chairperson told the Daily News on Thursday that she was considering coming back after she had been approached by a number of parties. Among them was Philani Mavundla’s Abantu Batho Congress and new kid on the block, Gap Fixers of South Africa (GFSA).

For the moment Gap Fixers’ only prominent figure is Sbu Mpisane as national chairperson. He is the ex-husband of Durban businesswoman Shauwn Mkhize who also owns Premier League outfit Royal AM.

The Umkhonto weSizwe Party was also said to be eyeing her, but Khoza said she was still weighing her options and sifting through requests before making her decision.

“I am considering my options. I do not want to make a mistake. Obviously being the wife of the former commander of uMkhonto weSizwe there are others who expect me to join the Umkhonto weSizwe party, but I have not taken any decision,” said Khoza.

GFSA founder Themba Buthelezi confirmed approaching Khoza, saying their talks were at an advanced stage promising to announce their decision soon once both parties agreed on certain conditions. Buthelezi said his party was looking for a suitable venue to launch its manifesto.

Khoza fell out with the ANC in Parliament after vowing to vote with her conscience when former president Jacob Zuma was facing a vote of no confidence. She was removed as portfolio committee chairperson of the Public Service Administration and subsequently left the ANC in 2017.

She had a short stint in African Democratic Change (ADeC) which she left in 2018. In 2021 she joined Herman Mashaba’s ActionSA and was subsequently appointed KwaZulu-Natal chairperson. She also fell out with Mashaba after it emerged that with the hung council she sold out a DA attempt to lead eThekwini and secretly voted with the ANC.

The ActionSA and the opposition in eThekwini suspected that her recommendation by the ANC to chair the Municipal Public Accounts Committee was a reward for helping the ANC retain the only metro in the province. She was subsequently fired by ActionSA in 2022. Khoza denied the allegations.

An independent political analyst Thobani Zikalala said for Khoza to be taken seriously she must clean up her public image. He said she was someone who appeared in the public eye as unmanageable. He said she must show the public that leaving ANC, ADeC and ActionSA was not because of her own mistakes and unruly behaviour.

“We know her anti-corruption stance, but that would not be enough to win the hearts of the people out there. She needs to come out clearly on what she stands for,” said Zikalala.

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