Back Umkhonto we Sizwe (politieke party) Afrikaans UMkhonto we Sizwe (Partei) German UMkhonto weSizwe (πολιτικό κόμμα) Greek Lanza de la Nación (partido político) Spanish Umkhonto we Sizwe (parti) French UMkhonto we Sizwe (מפלגה דרום אפריקנית) HE UMkhonto weSizwe (partai politik) ID UMkhonto we Sizwe (partito politico) Italian

UMkhonto weSizwe (political party)

uMkhonto weSizwe
Spear of the Nation
AbbreviationMK
LeaderJacob Zuma[1]
Governing bodyInterim National Committee[2]
Secretary GeneralSihle Ngubane[2]
Deputy Secretary GeneralArthur Zwane[2]
Treasurer GeneralDanisa Zulu[2]
National OrganiserNkosinathi Nhleko[2]
FoundedDecember 2023 (December 2023)[3]
Registered7 September 2023 (7 September 2023)[4][5]
Split fromAfrican National Congress
Ideology
Political positionLeft-wing[6][7][8]
National Assembly
58 / 400
National Council of Provinces
0 / 90
Pan-African Parliament
0 / 5
(South African seats)
Provincial Legislatures
58 / 487
Website
mkparty.org.za

uMkhonto weSizwe (Zulu for 'Spear of the Nation'), abbreviated as MK, and often referred to as the MK Party, is a nominally left-wing populist[3][6] South African political party, founded in December 2023. The party is named after uMkhonto weSizwe (also shortened to MK), the paramilitary wing of the African National Congress (ANC) which was active during the apartheid regime in South Africa. However, the ANC has threatened legal action over the usage of the name,[9] and the formation has been criticised by original MK veterans.[10]

The party rose to prominence in December 2023, when former president Jacob Zuma announced that, while planning to remain a lifelong member of the ANC, he would not be campaigning for the ANC in the 2024 South African general election, and would instead be voting for MK.[11] He stated that "I cannot and will not" campaign for the ANC of current president Cyril Ramaphosa, Zuma's successor, and that to do so would be a "betrayal".[12][13]

On 21 May 2024, a week before the 2024 general election, the Constitutional Court ruled that party leader Jacob Zuma was ineligible to serve in Parliament as his fifteen-month prison sentence for contempt of court disqualified him.[14][15][16] Although his image would remain on ballot papers, alongside his party's logo, Zuma's name would be removed from MK's list of parliamentary candidates.[14]

  1. ^ "MK Party – MK Party Home". Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Party Leaders – MK Party". Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  3. ^ a b Pilling, David. "South African election turns populist as parties play anti-foreigner card". Financial Times. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  4. ^ Mahlati, Zintle (19 September 2023). "Trademark war: ANC blindsided as MK registered as political party to contest 2024 poll". News24. Media24.
  5. ^ Mavuso, Sihle (27 September 2023). "Political party called Umkhonto Wesizwe, among others, gazetted by IEC to contest 2024 national elections". Independent Online. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023.
  6. ^ a b "South Africa's Zuma Fails to Show Up at Rally for His New Party". 21 January 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  7. ^ "Zuma deals new blow to ANC hopes in S. Africa election". France24. 16 December 2023. Archived from the original on 16 December 2023. Zuma said he would vote for the radical new left-wing Umkhonto We Sizwe (MK) party, named after the ANC's old armed wing, and urged all South Africans to reject the ANC.
  8. ^ "South Africa's Zuma Fails to Show Up at Rally for His New Party". Voice of Africa. 21 January 2024. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. TEMBISA, South Africa – Supporters of South Africa's embattled former president Jacob Zuma's newly-formed radical left-wing party said Sunday they hope he might soon be the country's leader again, even though he failed to show up at their rally.
  9. ^ Ramushwana, Alpha. "Experts weigh in on the Legal tussle over the uMkhonto weSizwe name". ewn.co.za. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  10. ^ "MK veterans slam former president Jacob Zuma for his conduct". msn.com. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  11. ^ "The battle for the soul of uMkhonto weSizwe". www.polity.org.za. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  12. ^ Mutsila, Lerato (17 December 2023). "Jacob Zuma ditches ANC in 2024 elections, vows 'total liberation". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  13. ^ "Former South African president Zuma leaves ANC". msn.com. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  14. ^ a b Williams, Rafiek; Chothia, Farouk (21 May 2024). "South Africa's top court bars Zuma from standing in election". BBC. Archived from the original on 21 May 2024.
  15. ^ Chutel, Lynsey (20 May 2024). "South Africa's Highest Court Says Jacob Zuma Can't Serve in Parliament". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Archived from the original on 20 May 2024.
  16. ^ Hunter, Qaanitah (21 May 2024). "Why Jacob Zuma being barred from S Africa election won't derail his support". Al Jazeera English. Al Jazeera Media Network.

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