Zuma’s tirade against Shivambu indicates he is ‘no longer useful to him’

uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party leader Jacob Zuma launched a scathing but veiled attack against the party’s former secretary-general Floyd Shivambu.

On Monday, during the party’s Youth Day commemorations in Durban, Zuma told supporters that the party would not tolerate indiscipline from its high-ranking members.

He said no leader in the party is infallible.

“We have had seven people now who have been secretary generals in this party, because we do not play.

“Even if you think you are a big person, and you are loved. And even if you think you are everything, we do not care,” he said.

MK party divided by personalities

Zuma said he had learnt that there are people in the party who are planning to protest over a decision to remove a particular leader.

“There are people who want to protest because we have made a certain decision. This means this party is not as strong as we want it to be.

“Even those who left, we did not chase them away; they left on their own. Many of them had erred in a big way. So now you guys want to get into things you know nothing about,” he said.

He appealed to party members to respect the decisions of the national leaders.

“It is the high command that decides who is right and who is wrong, who causes problems and who does not cause problems. I am telling the adults at the party because I heard they want to protest.

“We should be fighting for freedom, but instead we are fighting each other without even knowing what the other person did,” he said.

Zuma ‘will not beg’

Zuma said the MK party will not “beg” any member to stay in the party.

“We are not going to beg anyone, no, no, no. No matter how good, important, or educated you are, that is not our problem. It is not everyone who is here who is educated,” he said.

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Zuma no longer needs Shivambu

Meanwhile, political analyst Sanet Solomon said it is clear that Zuma no longer needs Shivambu.

“Floyd Shivambu’s recent character assassination is indicative of the end of his usefulness to Jacob Zuma and the MK party.

“It further signals the unlikelihood that he would be added to the parliamentary list,” Solomon said.

Shivambu was removed from his secretary-general position because he had gone on an unauthorised trip to Malawi, where he met controversial pastor Shepherd Bushiri.

However, Solomon said this could simply be an excuse to remove Shivambu from his position.

“[Shivambu] ‘misbehaving’ and not toeing the party line is a convenient excuse for his imminent exodus from the party. It is worth noting that this was always bound to happen once he fulfilled whatever ‘objectives’ were outlined for him,” she said.

Solomon said Zuma’s continuous reference to discipline gives us insight into his leadership style and suggests that MK party leaders must always follow his directive.

“While this could be problematic, it signals a homogeneous personality type.”

Solomon said that while Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla has been involved in a number of skirmishes in the party, she still enjoys her father’s protection.  

“Duduzile is an influential figure in the party and will most probably be taking the reins once her dad leaves politics – if ever. She is certainly her father’s prodigy,” she said.

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