By Sihle Mavuso
The uMkhonto Wesizwe party (MK) is frantically looking for another venue to host a pre-election campaign rally after the ANC-run eThekwini municipality told it that the Princess Magogo stadium in KwaMashu in Durban is “not available” on 21 April.
The Jacob Zuma-led ANC splinter party that was formed in December applied to use the stadium as it plans to increase its membership in the densely populated township of KwaMashu where it already enjoys strong support.
The rally was billed to be addressed by Zuma, whom the Electoral Court has ruled can appear on the party’s list, as MK gears up to try to wrestle KwaZulu-Natal from the ANC’s control.
According to a batch of email communications leaked to Scrolla.Africa by eThekwini municipality insiders who were worried that some officials were doing political bidding for the ANC, no reason was given for turning down the booking.
MK’s emailed request was first received by Marlen de Bruin who is employed by the sporting facilities management of the municipality. De Bruin then forwarded the request to Phumla Hadebe, employed in the same unit, to process the booking.
Instead, Hadebe sent a one-line response to MK, saying: “Please note that Princess Magogo stadium is not available on the 21st of April 2024.”
Hadebe did not state whether the stadium was booked on the day or is undergoing renovations.
Scrolla.Africa contacted eThekwini municipality spokesperson Gugu Sisilana but despite her
office acknowledging receipt of our inquiry, it did not respond.
Musa Mkhize, MK’s head of elections in KZN, confirmed the party had been “blocked”
from using the historic stadium.
But he insisted that they would go to KwaMashu and use an open field to speak to voters.
“In the end, we will go to KwaMashu to speak to our people. Nothing will stop us,” Mkhize vowed.
Pictured above: Princess Magogo stadium.
Image source: Facebook
