By Celani Sikhakhane
The former ANC mayor of Alfred Duma municipality in Ladysmith has jumped ship and joined the newly formed UMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party.
Vincent Madlala was seen on Sunday sitting in the front row at the UMkhonto Wesizwe event held in Newcastle, where former president Jacob Zuma was welcomed by a huge crowd.
This was Madlala’s second appearance at an UMkhonto Wesizwe event, after he attended another meeting held in Ladysmith earlier.
At both events, Madlala appeared clad in the green T-shirt of the MK party.
Madlala’s leadership of Alfred Duma is surrounded by controversy and he has been accused of masterminding the taxi violence that had ravaged Ladysmith for years.
He has also been arrested, along with his daughter, for possession of illegal firearms.
He was elected as mayor in 2016 after taking over from Dudu Mazibuko as mayor of uMnambithi, before it was renamed in honour of struggle veteran Alfred Duma.
In 2021, he didn’t make it to the list of ANC mayors and the following year he didn’t make it onto the KwaZulu-Natal ANC executive committee during the elective conference held in Durban.
Madlala is among many ANC heavyweights who are leaving the ANC to join the MK party.
In eThekwini, secretary Musa Nciki issued a communique to branches, calling a meeting to verify whether any comrades had left the ANC to join UMkhonto Wesizwe.
ANC spokesperson Mafika Mndebele could not be reached for comment.
The EFF has warned that any fighter who appears in MK colours or attends an event will be automatically expelled from the party.
Pictured above: Former Ladysmith mayor Vincent Madlala has joined the MK party.
Image source: Supplied
