Leadership purges in MK could harm the party

The expulsion and demotion of senior members may affect the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party and its reputation as a brand and drive away voters in the upcoming elections.

This is the view of political analysts and a reputation management expert interviewed by The Citizen yesterday.

Demoting and expelling of member

They were reacting to the ongoing expulsion and demotion of members taking place on national and provincial levels.

Recently, Mzwanele Manyi was removed as the party’s chief whip in parliament, while Floyd Shivambu was redeployed from being the party’s secretary-general to a member of parliament.

There are also many members who have been expelled and some demoted.

Sanet Solomon, a political analyst from the department of political studies and governance at the University of the Free State, said: “The MK party has had numerous leadership changes in its almost two years of existence and this has caused a lot of speculation regarding the party’s internal dynamics, succession planning and overall stability.

“While some are surprised by this, others owe it to Zuma’s legacy as he has been known for his overnight leadership reshuffles.

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Impact of changes

“These frequent changes may impact the party’s performance in the upcoming elections as most voters seek stability and a party that would be able to cater to the needs of their community, particularly in local government elections. People want to know their councillors and they seek to vote for people they can trust. The continued changes create uncertainty about which people you want,” said Solomon.

Another analyst, Goodenough Mashego, said what was happening at the party’s national level would negatively affect its performance in upcoming elections.

“They have a serious impact, but there’s still time for the party to redeem itself to have some stability, especially in provinces where it is likely to perform better.”

International reputation management expert Tshepo Matseba said the demotion of senior leaders, including Shivambu and Manyi, raised important questions about the party’s internal cohesion and political maturity.

Matseba said for a relatively new political formation positioning itself as a credible alternative in the national landscape, the leadership changes are more than just internal housekeeping.

Deeper issues

“They speak to a deeper issue of organisational discipline and strategic alignment. Voters are likely to interpret these developments as signs of instability.

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“In the run-up to the local government elections, this could undermine the MK Party’s credibility, particularly among undecided voters and those looking for consistency in leadership.”

He said the removal of Manyi as chief whip, a key parliamentary position responsible for managing caucus discipline and legislative strategy, further highlighted the challenges the party faces in maintaining institutional order and political coherence.

Public scrutiny

“From a reputational perspective, the optics of frequent leadership changes create a perception of internal volatility and could weaken the party’s brand equity.

“The questions around vacant parliamentary seats and leadership succession will only intensify public scrutiny.”

Political analyst Professor André Duvenhage said the MK party’s organisational instability might not be a problem now, but it would be in the long run.

He said the party’s strategy of expelling senior leaders was to make sure that no-one became too strong.

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