Former president Jacob Zuma and current leader of thr uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party.
Image: Independent Media
The battle lines have been drawn within the ranks of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), pitting former provincial legislature member Induna Phulmani Mfeka against party secretary-general Floyd Shivambu.
Tensions reached boiling point when Mfeka declared in a recent podcast interview that he could no longer serve under Shivambu’s leadership, prompting his resignation as a member of parliament.
“I will not serve under the leadership of Floyd ‘Shivambu,’” Mfeka said. “This isn’t the MKP we signed up for. As traditional leaders, we feel sidelined. That’s why I’ve decided to leave the party, though I still believe in its principles.”
Mfeka is a known loyal backer of former president Jacob Zuma, the leader of the MKP.
The party, particularly influential in KwaZulu-Natal, is now facing fresh divisions. The party’s KwaZulu-Natal region is embroiled in bitter infighting, particularly in the KZN Legislature caucus. The cracks in the party were exposed in a letter sent on March 3, 2025, by the party’s chief whip in the legislature, Mervyn Dirks, to Shivambu. The letter details the growing tensions within the party, threatening to tear it apart.
Dirks was appointed as chief whip late last year after the suspension of Dr Kwazi Mbanjwa and Thobani Zuma, who expressed frustration over being excluded from a key caucus meeting.
Both Mbanjwa and Zuma had been suspended for allegedly refusing to hand control of the party’s finances over to MKP provincial leader Willies Mchunu and others. Dirks wrote that on March 5, a caucus meeting took place without his knowledge, and, more importantly, without his invitation.
“The meeting proceeded without my knowledge, with Mbanjwa and Zuma participating,” Dirks indicated in his letter to Shivambu. “It’s clear that the divisions in our caucus have deepened.”
Dirks went on to further describe the chaotic state of affairs.
Following the return of the suspended members, he claimed a “parallel caucus” was forming, led by former Chief Whip Mbanjwa and commander Thobani Zuma. “They made it clear they do not recognise the MKP constitution, nor do they acknowledge the SG, the Head of the Presidency, the Provincial Convenor, or the Chief Whip,” said Dirks.
According to him, the rogue caucus was demanding the reinstatement of Mbanjwa and Zuma, including the lifting of their suspensions. “They only recognise Mbanjwa as their Chief Whip,” said Dirks, and he stated that the group wanted an urgent meeting with the party leader, Jacob Zuma, to discuss the matter.
The letter paints a picture of a party in disarray, with internal factions openly challenging authority and undermining party leadership. “This is a well-orchestrated campaign to undermine the decision-making of MKP,” Dirks claimed in his letter.
The situation was a nightmare for party's leadership, as it threatens to destabilize the party in one of its key strongholds. Meanwhile, MKP spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhela confirmed that he was unaware of any response from Shivambu to Dirks' letter.
The internal strife within MKP is the latest in a series of issues that have troubled the party in recent months.
With Mfeka’s resignation coupled with Dirks' revelations, it seems the once-unified party is now on the brink of a full-blown internal war. The outcome of this power struggle will not only determine the future of the MKP but also the legacy of the Jacob Zuma faction.
The latest challenges poses the MKPs most significant test yet, whether the party has the ability to maintain unity in trying times.
The MKP spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela had not yet responded to questions sent by this publication.
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