By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela is set to resign from Parliament to focus on his role within the party.
Ndhlela was recently appointed as a full-time national spokesperson for the party.
He said he will be resigning at “some point” to focus on his new role.
The party needs me and we’re going into elections effective for 2026, so I cannot afford to have a situation where we as a leadership are going to be slacking in areas where we should be putting our utmost attention and energy towards.
“I believe my efforts will be more beneficial to the party than in Parliament. I’ve set up the structures in Parliament…I was the whip for media and communications,” Ndhlela said.
Ndhlela said he went to the party leader Jacob Zuma and informed him of his decision to resign a MP for the MK party in Parliament.
“I went to the president and said, ‘Look, I believe Mr President that I think it is important that we reinculcate the culture of uMkhonto weSizwe and bring about some confidence, because what is happening is that there is this perception that members are now being parachuted into certain positions and that looks wrong and that we are no longer the uMkhonto weSizwe.”
“And I believe that it augers very well for people to know that I am back and give guidance and shape the organisation according to how we know the organisation to be,” Ndhlela said.
MK party has exceeded expectations and emerged as a major factor in the African National Congress’ sharp drop in support.
The party was the third largest party after the May elections with 11.8% of votes. The ANC had 41.9%, down from 57.5% in the last 2019 election, loosing the majority for the first time in 30 years.