Disgruntled uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party members attacked former leader and founder Jabulani Khumalo outside the Johannesburg High Court on Monday.
Khumalo, who founded and registered the MK Party in 2023, wrote to the Electoral Commission saying Zuma is not the legitimate leader of the political party. Ahead of the historic polls on 29 May, he called on the IEC to remove Zuma from the ballot.
MK PARTY MEMBERS ATTACK JABULANI KHUMALO
On Monday, Khumalo insisted that Zuma’s daughter Duduzile forged the letter which was submitted to the IEC as his resignation.
Khumalo’s lawyer said anyone with access to Khumalo’s emails and his electronic signature could have forged the letter and they believe that Zuma’s daughter did so.
On the other hand, Jacob Zuma’s lawyer advocate Dali Mpofu confirmed that Duduzile has instructed her lawyers to mount a serious case of defamation against Khumalo.
After the court proceedings had adjourned, Khumalo was ambushed as he left court. Angry people in MK Party regalia cursed and swore at him while others threw stuff on his car.
Two cars belonging to his security detail allegedly crashed as they tried to get away from the tense situation.
EXPELLED LEADER ACCUSES ZUMA OF HIJACKING HIS PARTY
In a letter issued earlier in May, Khumalo accused Zuma of hijacking the MK Party.
Khumalo said before his expulsion, he was called into a meeting with several individuals who are not on the national executive committee but were active within the party.
Jabulani Khumalo was expelled alongside Ray Khumalo, Bheki Manzini, Lebo Moepeng, and Rochelle Davidson. The party said the suspension was a commitment to purify itself from rogue elements that would blur its lines to the two-thirds majority.
“Zuma announced that I had been removed as the president of the party, and he would henceforth be the president of the party. During that meeting, a fraudulent letter was prepared for transmission to the IEC announcing that I would no longer be on the list of candidates and that Zuma would be the face and the president of the MKP.
“I sent a letter to the Electoral Commission in which I confirmed that Zuma would be the face of the party. At no stage did I confirm that Zuma would be the president of the party.
“I request urgently that the Electoral Commission should remove Zuma’s name as the ‘face’ of MK Party. He should also be immediately removed as the president of the MK Party. He occupies these positions through fraudulent manoeuvres,” Khumalo said.