By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Electoral Court on Wednesday dismissed the expelled uMkhonto Wesizwe Party (MKP) founder Jabulani Khumalo’s bid to be reinstated as the party’s leader.
The Specialist Court handed down judgment electronically which dismissed his application with punitive costs.
Khumalo filed an urgent application to Electoral Court to get his expulsion from the MK party declared invalid and unlawful and that he be reinstated as the party’s leader with immediate effect.
He argued that former president Jacob Zuma’s daughter, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, in an act of forgery, wrote to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) purporting that he (Khumalo) was resigning and paved way for Zuma to take the reins.
The letter to the IEC was accepted and the former president became the face of the MK party ahead of the May 29 elections, where it went on to score almost 15% of the national vote, and heavily humiliated the African National Congress (ANC) across the KwaZulu-Natal province in the results.
Judge Lebogang Modiba said, Khumalo’s case was “riddled with contradictions” and ordering him to pay the costs, which is the most appropriate way of censuring his conduct and “sending a message to the public that making false statements under oath and abuse of this court’s process will not be countenanced.”
“The application is frivolous and completely devoid of merit. The respondents have demonstrated Khumalo perjured himself in his affidavits. The application also constitutes an abuse of this court’s process and a waste of its judicial economy and the opposing respondents’ resources. They have incurred legal costs opposing an application that should not have seen the light of day,” she said.
Khumalo was expelled in April after the party said it was “cleansing itself.” He was booted out with the other four members.
According to the party, the move was a commitment to purify itself from rogue elements that would blur its lines to the two-thirds majority.
Meanwhile the party says its ready enter into coalition talks with the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in KwaZulu-Natal.
In a letter addressed to the IFP’s leadership, MK Party secretary-general Sihle Ngubane, said they have identified political ideologies and characteristics that they share with the IFP.
“These main issues are; bringing back dignity to the Zulu Kingdom, kings and Izinduna; fast-tracking service delivery to all our people in KZN; catapulting the province to be the major economic hub of South Africa and other important opportunities that will make KZN the centre of attention,” the letter read.
Ngubane said, based on these issues, it is warranted that both parties meet and start engaging in relations to coalitions and working together in the province.
“We request that a convergence of minds be solicited and we afford each other time and space to engage,” Ngubane said.
Last week, the IFP’s Mkhuleko Hlengwa dispelled rumours that the party was had closed the door to certain political parties on coalition talks.
At the time, Hlengwa said the party had engaged with the African National Congress (ANC), Democratic Alliance (DA) and the National Freedom Party (NFP) on a way forward following the May national and provincial elections.
“The IFP will broaden the scope of its engagement with other Parties, particularly as we all grapple with the possibility, viability and dynamics of a Government of National Unity.
Patriotic Alliance (PA) has also confirmed that it will meet with representatives of the MK Party this morning for possible coalition talks.
PA spokesperson Steve Motale said in line with this approach, the party has already held ‘productive’ meetings with the ANC over the proposed Government of National Unity (GNU).
“Recently, we were approached by the MK Party for a discussion on the election results and potential coalition agreements. President McKenzie has released a draft agenda to our members for our members to know what the talking points are. True to our commitment to transparency to our members, we have agreed to meet with the MK Party on Wednesday morning.
“Following the conclusion of this meeting, we will promptly report back to our members regarding the outcomes.”