Zuma optimistic his new party will govern South Africa.

By Soyiso Maliti.

MK Party president Jacob Zuma says he’s confident his new party will govern South Africa through a court decision.

Speaking briefly at the MKP press briefing, where the party unveiled new leaders in Durban on Friday, Zuma brought up the party’s case against the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC), in which the party rejected the election outcome. 

He said the move to appoint new structures was “very necessary” for a one-year-old party.

“This country is going to be run properly,” Zuma said. “We are the youngest political leadership that is here.”

He said the MK Party is “changing South Africa into a new kind of leadership”.

Zuma segued to the party’s case against the IEC, saying: I must also say we challenged those who were counting the voting because we believe we won, and we believe the courts are going to [deliver a] judgment, and that judgment must be fair to everyone. As you know, the case is about to start, and we’re sure that if the honesty is there, we’re going to see who is going to be running the country. This country is going to be run properly, with every respect that we have.

He added: “We are establishing a serious organisation in our country. We were saying [in a meeting earlier] that uMkhonto weSizwe is here to stay. We are happy that we now can say we have a leadership that has been identified by the [national] leadership, and they’re given an opportunity to lead at different levels.

“We are an organisation to watch. [We’re] a serious organisation. We’re building this organisation slowly but surely.”

Earlier in the briefing, MKP secretary-general Floyd Shivambu announced the party’s new KwaZulu-Natal leadership structure, which comprises eight leaders, including incumbent convener Willies Mchunu. 

The leadership structure, which the party calls a “detachment”, includes Mchunu, who is retained as the convener, his new deputy Lynette Zwane, coordinator Sibusiso Donda Xulu, his deputy Shirley Willemse, organiser Simphiwe Mpungose, deputy organiser Reggie Ngcobo, fundraiser Vusi Mvelase and deputy fundraiser Steven Moodley.

The party also announced detachments of all the 11 regions. 

The party’s national high command has appointed two additional members to the provincial command – Baphezile Ngidi and Nomuhle Nodada. 

The remaining 20 additional members will be appointed in due course, Shivambu said. 

In the statement, Shivambu acknowledged that the MKP had been experiencing “difficulties and challenges which have led to changes to the political leadership in the province and different regions” since its formation. 

He said the national officials’ decision to appoint the new leaders was based on the understanding that the MKP had “faced and dealt with these difficulties”.

“The MKP is gaining the proper organisational shape and form it needs to consolidate and lead the progressive forces in South Africa,” Shivambu said.

Responding to media queries about Mchunu being booed at a party event in the Moses Mabhida region, Shivambu said the hecklers would be taken through a disciplinary process.

On Thursday, the party also announced detachment for Gauteng and Limpopo, effectively firing those who previously held the positions. 

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