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uMkhonto weSizwe (Zulu for 'Spear of the Nation'), abbreviated as MK, and often referred to as the MK Party, is a left-wing populist[4][7] South African political party, founded in December 2023. The party is named after uMkhonto weSizwe (also shortened to MK), the paramilitary wing of the African National Congress (ANC) which was active during the apartheid regime in South Africa. However, the ANC has threatened legal action over the usage of the name,[11] and the formation has been criticised by original MK veterans.[12]
uMkhonto weSizwe Spear of the Nation | |
|---|---|
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| Abbreviation | MK |
| President | Jacob Zuma[1] |
| Governing body | National High Command[2] |
| Deputy President | Dr John Hlophe[3] |
| Secretary General | Floyd Shivambu[2] |
| Deputy Secretary General | Nombuso Mkhize[2] |
| National Organiser | Joseph Mabayo Ndhlela |
| National Chairperson | Nkosinathi Nhleko |
| Founded | 16 December 2023[4] |
| Registered | 7 September 2023[5][6] |
| Split from | African National Congress |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Left-wing[10] |
| National affiliation | Progressive Caucus |
| National Assembly | 58 / 400 |
| National Council of Provinces | 9 / 90 |
| Pan-African Parliament | 1 / 5 (South African seats) |
| Provincial Legislatures | 58 / 487 |
| Website | |
| mkparty | |
The party rose to prominence in December 2023, when former president Jacob Zuma announced that, while planning to remain a lifelong member of the ANC, he would not be campaigning for the ANC in the 2024 South African general election, and would instead be voting for MK.[13] He stated that "I cannot and will not" campaign for the ANC of current president Cyril Ramaphosa, Zuma's successor, and that to do so would be a "betrayal".[14][15]
On 21 May 2024, a week before the 2024 general election, the Constitutional Court ruled that party leader Jacob Zuma was ineligible to serve in Parliament as his fifteen-month prison sentence for contempt of court disqualified him.[16][17][18] Although his image would remain on ballot papers, alongside his party's logo, Zuma's name would be removed from MK's list of parliamentary candidates.[16] In July 2024, Jacob Zuma was expelled from the African National Congress (ANC), because of campaigning for a rival party (MK party) in the 29 May general election.[19]
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The party has been described as populist, Zulu nationalist,[20][21] and "anti-foreigner".[4] Voice of America called it a "radical left-wing party",[7][8][9] while Al Jazeera described its policies as socialist.[22] It has supported some socially conservative[23] policies including the repeal of laws legalising same-sex marriage.[24] The party supports controversial, ostensibly reparative policies, such as expropriating white-owned land without compensation.[25] Writing in the Mail & Guardian, Imraan Buccus describes the party's ideology as "predatory and authoritarian nationalism with far right-wing social views".[26] The party has criticised the impact of immigration on crime.[27] Despite being a self proclaimed socialist party, it supports expanding the powers of traditional tribal monarchs.[28]
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Since the creation of the party, all opinion polling has shown it holds strong support in the province of KwaZulu-Natal,[29][30] with black and coloured residents being the most favourable of the party.[31] In early 2024 published opinion polls projected that the MK Party would cut significantly into the ANC vote within the province,[32][33][34][35] and attracted a polling percentage up to 35.6%.[29] The party also attracted significant percentages in the immediate north-western province of Mpumalanga.[29] Following the declaration of the election results of the National and Provincial Elections, MK Party secured 14.58% of the national votes. This translates to 58 seats in the National Assembly.
In January 2024, Black First Land First party leader Andile Mngxitama announced that he had joined the party, although he stated that BLF would not cease to exist, and that it was an electoral pact.[36]
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The party has experienced infighting, with a number of resignations and dismissals, including party founder Jabulani Khumalo and others on the 2024 election list.[37][38]
In response to his dismissal, Khumalo claimed that he was still president, that Zuma was merely a consultant, and in turn suspended Zuma, asking the IEC to remove the Zuma's name from the candidate lists.[39] The IEC subsequently ruled in favour of Zuma and allowed him to remain on the party's lists, noting his status as the MK Party's registered leader.[40] On 15 August 2024 former EFF Deputy President and lieutenant commander-in-chief, its Parliamentary Chief Whip in the South African Parliament, who served in the Trade and Industry Portfolio Committee and the Standing Committee on Finance; Floyd Shivambu joined the party.[41] On the 5th September 2024 the National Assembly unlawfully delegated its responsibility to appoint members to serve on the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party when it rubber-stamped its nomination of disgraced judge John Hlophe to serve on the commission, the Western Cape high court heard on Thursday.[42]Former Democratic Alliance Midvaal mayor Bongani Baloyi has joined the uMkhonto weSizwe party on the 5th September 2024[43]
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In February 2024, the party contested its first election, finishing third with 19% of the vote in the ward 8 by-election in the Abaqulusi Local Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, behind the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) on 47% and African National Congress (ANC) on 35%.[44]
Later that month, the party again finished third, winning 28% of the vote in an uPhongolo by-election, behind the IFP on 36% and the ANC on 33%.[45]
On 28 February 2024, the party contested a by-election in Govan Mbeki in Mpumalanga, its first outside KwaZulu-Natal, finishing second on 28% behind the ANC on 51%.[46]
On 14 June 2024, the party would suffer a setback in its native province of KwaZulu-Natal after the provincial legislature elected a rival IFP member, Thami Ntuli, as Premier of KwaZulu-Natal.[47] Ntuli defeated the MK Party's premier candidate, Zulu Nation deputy prime minister Phathisizwe Chiliza, with 41 votes to 39.[48]
National Assembly elections
| Election | Party leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Position | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Jacob Zuma | 2,344,309 | 14.58%[a] | 58 / 400 |
New | 3rd | Official Opposition |
National Council of Provinces elections
| Election | Total # of seats won |
+/- | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 9 / 90 |
- | Official Opposition |
Provincial elections
| Election[49] | Eastern Cape | Free State | Gauteng | Kwazulu-Natal | Limpopo | Mpumalanga | North-West | Northern Cape | Western Cape | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | Seats | % | Seats | % | Seats | % | Seats | % | Seats | % | Seats | % | Seats | % | Seats | % | Seats | |
| 2024 | 1.44 | 1/73 | 1.93 | 1/30 | 9.79 | 8/80 | 45.35 | 37/80 | 0.85 | 1/64 | 16.97 | 9/51 | 2.06 | 1/38 | 0.79 | 0/30 | 0.57 | 0/42 |
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