uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party first deputy president Duduzane Zuma has warned party members and public representatives that they will be removed from their positions if they fail to fulfil their responsibilities.
Zuma delivered the warning while addressing supporters at an MK Party rally in uMlazi, KwaZulu-Natal, over the weekend, ahead of the November 4 local government elections.
“People are gonna get their a**es kicked,” he told the cheering crowd.
He emphasised that anyone entrusted with a position of authority would be expected to deliver on the mandate given to them by the public.
“If we put you in a position of power, and you are expected to do what you’re supposed to do as per the people’s mandate, and you don’t, we will remove you,” he said.
“No matter what position you are in, whether you are within the party, whether you’re within the municipality, local government, if you mess around, we will remove you.”
Local government elections a stepping stone to 2029
Zuma described the upcoming local government elections as an important step towards the party’s ambitions for the 2029 national elections.
He said municipalities governed by the MK Party would provide an opportunity for the organisation to demonstrate its ability to govern.
“2026 November 4th is our stepping stone to 2029,” he said, adding that the party would be judged on its performance in the municipalities it runs.
His comments place service delivery and accountability at the centre of the party’s message ahead of the elections.
Warning comes amid leadership changes
The remarks come amid recent changes within the party’s leadership structures.
MK Party president Jacob Zuma recently removed Sibonelo Nomvalo as secretary-general and from the party’s National Assembly caucus. The decision followed concerns cited by the party regarding councillor selection, internal communication, campaign material delays, internal factionalism and changes to parliamentary arrangements.
Jacob Zuma also instructed parliamentary leader John Hlophe to reverse recent changes to the party’s parliamentary whippery and restore the previous arrangements through the appropriate procedures.
The party has also faced internal tensions over candidate selection, with members previously protesting in Durban over allegations that submitted councillor lists did not reflect candidates selected in their wards.
Against this background, Duduzane Zuma’s warning signals that party members and representatives will be expected to meet the organisation’s expectations if they are to retain their positions.
