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Is Jacob Zuma’s party, which is less than two years, embroiled in turmoil?
uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party national spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela. Picture: X
The MK party has refuted claims of factional battles within the party after apparent leaked letters calling on party leader Jacob Zuma to take action against his daughter and the chief whip in Parliament.
In the first letter, the MK party deputy president, John Hlophe, calls for Zuma to take action against his daughter, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, for being “unruly.”
Meanwhile, the other letter calls for the MK party’s newly appointed Parliamentary Chief Whip, Colleen Makhubele, to be removed from her position.
Letters
The two widely circulated letters also reveal Hlophe’s supposed dissatisfaction with party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela’s “disruptive” conduct, leading to his removal from the parliamentary whippery team and a reprimand for Zuma-Sambudla.
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MK party in turmoil
Zuma’s party, which is less than two years old, has had five secretary generals and is currently on its fifth treasurer-general.
The MK party also remained in Parliament for a year with eight vacant seats after reaching the limit on the number of times a party can swap its MPs.
WATCH Nhlamulo Ndhlela speaking about the letters
[WATCH] MK Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela says he has not received any letter from the party's deputy president, Dr. John Hlophe. He adds
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) July 1, 2025
that he discovered the letter on social media and subsequently discussed it with Hlophe, who claimed that his digital signature is being… pic.twitter.com/hc5byFicay
‘Digital signature’
However, Ndhlela told Newzroom Afrika he has not received any letter from Hlophe.
He adds that he discovered the letter on social media and subsequently discussed it with Hlophe, who claimed that his “digital signature is being misused”.
“We have seen, and I’ve also come into contact with that letter via, obviously, social media, as it was trending and circulating. Let me categorically state the following: I’ve had a conversation with the party leader, Dr Hlophe, and the party leader then said to me, ‘My digital signature has been abused’, and I mean, I pretty much left it at that.
“So effectively, I’ve never seen that letter in a physical form, I’ve never received it,” Ndhlela said.
Ndhlela said the same applied to Zuma-Sambudla.
“Well, I guess we’re referring to the same letter.”
Colleen Makhubele
He also clarified Makhubele’s position in Parliament after she was accused of being autocratic and taking decisions without consulting the rest of the caucus.
Makhubele is also accused of supporting Israel, which, they say, goes against MK party values.
A group of MK Party MPs is calling for the removal of chief whip Colleen Makhubele. They've written to party president Jacob Zuma, accusing her of being autocratic and takes decisions without consulting the rest of the caucus.
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) July 1, 2025
Makhubele's also accused of supporting Israel,… pic.twitter.com/iqr80hFYeP
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In another letter, dated 26 June, supposedly from Hlophe, he complained to Zuma about “parliamentary challenge and leadership behaviour” and singling out Zuma-Sambudla and Ndhlela.
Hlophe said, although he had removed Ndhlela from the whippery, he “attended meetings and feigned ignorance” about his axing.
He informed Zuma about how Ndhlela “insulted” Makhubele, telling her that she “required political education” and claiming that she could not remove him unless it was sanctioned by the party’s top management structure in Parliament.
“Commander Ndhlela has consistently insulted the chief whip [and] in some instances labelling her a ‘political novice’ and a ‘political newcomer’ to the political landscape.
“The tirade was not only disrespectful but also a direct threat to the authority of the chief whip and the party leader, as the removal letter bore my signature as party leader,” Hlophe supposedly said in the letter.
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Zuma-Sambudla
Hlophe said Ndhlela’s actions reflect a “deliberate attempt to usurp the authority of the Chief Whip and disrupt the unity of the caucus.”
Hlophe said Zuma-Sambudla “exacerbated” the situation by creating “unnecessary chaos and disregarding repeated cautions to wait her turn”.
He said this behaviour forced him to intervene and chair the meeting.
“While speaking, Commander Zuma-Sambudla interrupted me repeatedly, displaying unruly behaviour that required reprimanding. She noisily rose from her seat, grabbed her belongings and exclaimed, ‘Are we not done’? Before sitting down, she realised no one followed her.
“That behaviour of both members was despicable and does not reflect the ethos that the MK Party seeks to portray to its constituents,” Hlophe reportedly said.
Hlophe said the duo’s actions contravene the principles of “Ubuntu, Unity in Action, and Respect, as outlined in the MK Party Constitution and Disciplinary Code of Conduct.”
The factional battles will now turn to Nkandla to see what action Zuma will take.
However, Ndhlela dismissed this letter too.
“Honourable Colleen Makhubele is the chief whip of the MK caucus and MK party in Parliament, which has never changed.
“So, there’s nothing, quite honestly, that is untoward within the caucus. The caucus is strong, you know, and honourable Colleen continues to be our chief whip in Parliament,” Ndhlela said.
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