MKP says letters threatening expulsion of KwaZulu-Natal MPLs are fake

The Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) has labelled the letters, purportedly signed by president Jacob Zuma threatening to fire five KwaZulu-Natal party legislature members, as fake.

The letters started circulating on social media platforms on Friday and directed five party legislature members to, within seven days, state why they should not be expelled from the party.

On Sunday national spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela dismissed the letters as fake, adding the party does not know the origin of these letters.

In the letters, the five MPLs were accused of secretly hatching a plot to derail the government of provincial unity by working with the ANC and forming a new coalition. According to the letters, the MPLs were doing this without the blessing or the consent of the party, which aroused Zuma’s anger.

“These letters are fake and president Zuma did not write any letters,” said Ndhlela.

Bongumusa Mkhize, the MPL that one of the letters was addressed to, also denied receiving any letter, adding that none of the mentioned five MPLs received any letter. Mkhize, a former ANC councillor in ward 1 in KwaXimba near Cato Ridge west of Durban said he suspected this was the work of disgruntled or rogue party members in the legislature who wanted to cause divisions within the party ahead of local government elections next year.

Mkhize, was one of the first ANC councillors to defect to the MKP. He is also credited with organising the party's first rally that was addressed by Zuma in KwaXimba.

Apart from the denial of the letters, a senior member of the party in the province said the party caucus in the legislature is divided. It had been reported there were party members in the legislature who are not willing to recognise Mervin Dirks as the leader of their chief whip.

Also weighing in on the letters, the party's provincial convener Willies Mchunu denied any knowledge of an engagement with the ANC other than formal talks with the party to form a new coalition in the province.

“Because the letters are said to be written by the president, you must ask the national leadership but on behalf of the provincial leadership I categorically say there is no such thing,” said Mchunu.

willem.phungula@inl.co.za