By Celani Sikhakhane
- MKP’s uMkhanyakude district has nominated traditional leaders, izinduna and a traditional healer as candidates for the 4 November elections.
- The party, contesting its first local government election since forming, faces infighting in other KZN regions over its candidate selection process.
uMkhonto weSizwe Party’s uMkhanyakude district, in the far north of KwaZulu-Natal, has fielded traditional leaders and healers among its candidates ahead of the local government elections on 4 November.
This will be MKP’s first local government election since it was formed in 2023, with Jacob Zuma later stepping in to lead the party ahead of the 2024 general elections.
MKP’s uMkhanyakude District Chairperson, Sibusiso Ngema, said the party prioritised traditional leaders and healers while compiling its candidate list.
“The MKP was founded on the principle that the land should be brought back to its rightful owners, the amakhosi and izinduna. That is why here at uMkhanyakude district, we made sure that traditional leaders, including traditional healers, are well represented on our list to lead our people as councillors after the elections. Nominating traditional leaders is one of the most important decisions, because they know the pain and plight of our people on the ground. They have been with them for a very long time. Having them as councillors will help the MKP deliver services to the people without any problem,” Ngema said.
He said the district had nominated izinduna and members of the abaKhwanazi clan to stand as candidates in wards 12 and 13. He said the party’s candidate for the election is a traditional healer known as Gogo Jele.
While Ngema says uMkhanyakude’s candidate process was peaceful, other regions of the party in KwaZulu-Natal have faced infighting. In Vryheid, members have locked party offices, accusing leadership of interfering with the candidate process to favour preferred names.
Nationally, MKP has faced similar criticism, with some of its own MPLs alleging that Zuma has taken control of candidate nominations, including mayoral appointments, rather than leaving the process to party structures.
MKP’s provincial convenor, Willies Mchunu, has denied this.
In uMkhanyakude, MKP faces tough competition from the ANC, IFP, EFF, NFP and the newly formed Jozini Congress, which has put forward the former mayor of Jozini Local Municipality as its district mayoral candidate. Ngema said MKP has not yet announced its own mayoral candidate for the district, but remains confident.
Pictured above: MKP uMkhanyakude District Chairperson Sibusiso Ngema, who says the party has prioritised traditional leaders and healers among its candidates for the November elections.
Image source: MKP
