MK Party founder Jabulani Khumalo and Jacob Zuma. Image: Wikimedia Commons
Zuma says MK Party founder was paid R1m to take him to court
Jacob Zuma and MK Party founder Jabulani Khumalo faced off at the Electoral Court sitting in Johannesburg over the ownership of the party.
MK Party founder Jabulani Khumalo and Jacob Zuma. Image: Wikimedia Commons
Former President Jacob Zuma has alleged that uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party founder Jabulani Khumalo was paid R1 million to take him to court over the ownership of the political party.
Zuma said this as he addressed the party’s members outside the Electoral Court sitting in Johannesburg on Monday, 3 June.
MK PARTY FOUNDER ALLEGEDLY PAID TO TAKE ZUMA TO COURT
As previously reported by The South African, Jabulani Khumalo, who founded and registered the MK Party in 2023, wrote to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) saying Zuma is not the legitimate leader of the political party.
Ahead of the historic polls on 29 May, Khumalo also called on the IEC to remove Zuma from the ballot and the candidate list.
Khumalo took Zuma to court over the ownership of the MK Party. He insists that the letter written to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) on the party’s leadership change was forged.
Khumalo has accused Zuma’s daughter, Duduzile, of forging the letter and his signature. However during court proceedings Zuma’s lawyer advocate Dali Mpofu pointed out that Khumalo wrote two letters to the IEC confirming the change of leadership in the MK Party.
Meanwhile, Zuma addressed the party’s members after court proceedings had adjourned as the judgement was reserved.
He said certain people he knows very well but would not name approached Khumalo and offered him money. They also urged him to “fight” for his organisation, hence the court case.
“Even in exile, there were people who would sell out,” he added.
HOW MANY SEATS DOES THE PARTY HAVE IN LEGISLATURES?
On Sunday, the IEC declared the 2024 National and Provincial Elections as free and fair. It also released the number of seats each political party that contested the elections have in the nine legislatures across the country.
KWAZULU-NATAL LEGISLATURE SEATS:
- The Jacob Zuma-led uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party emerged as the biggest winner in KwaZulu-Natal with 37 seats.
- The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has the second highest number of seats in the legislature with 15.
- The African National Congress has 14 seats.
- The Democratic Alliance (DA) has 11 seats while Julius Malema’s has two seats.
- Lastly, late Zanele kaMagwaza Msibi’s National Freedom Party (NFP) has one seat.
GAUTENG PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURE:
- ANC – 28
- DA – 22
- EFF – 11
- MK PARTY – 8
- ACTIONSA – 3
- PA – 2
- VF PLUS – 2
- ACDP – 1
- BOSA – 1
- IFP – 1
- RISE MZANSI – 1
