‘They were defeated in July unrest, they won’t stop us’: MK youth leader Bonginkosi Khanyile

Umkhonto we Sizwe Party interim youth leader Bonginkosi Khanyile believes there is nothing the state security agencies can do to stop the party from halting the elections if former president Jacob Zuma’s face is not on the ballot papers. 

Khanyile, who was charged with incitement to violence for the July 2021 unrest, has been in the spotlight since he told reporters on Wednesday that he was willing to be arrested as the party continues to threaten “there will be no elections without MK and Zuma”.

The newly formed party has a legal dilemma in its contesting of the elections. The ANC has dragged the MK Party to court, demanding it be deregistered by the IEC on the grounds that the party's name is the same as the ANC's disbanded military wing. 

Another anticipated legal rodeo for the party is the selection of Zuma as its presidential candidate. Zuma was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment by the Constitutional Court for contempt of court and the constitution prohibits anyone who is sentenced to more than 12 months' imprisonment without the option of a fine to become an MP. Zuma was listed in the party's national candidate list, but the IEC has not yet published the list for legal candidate contestation.

Khanyile believes the constitution does not prevent Zuma from being on the ballot, saying the “process of being in a ballot is a different process of being sworn in”. 

“If they remove MK and remove president Zuma as the face of the campaign, there won’t be elections in South Africa. Let me repeat, so that when we are arrested, they can use this video as evidence in court. We mean what we say. 

“What do we do with this military which they are going to unleash? The soldiers were defeated by the July unrest. Do you think you can stop MK?”

Khanyile, expected to go on trial in June relating to charges of inciting violence in the July 2021 unrest which happened after Zuma was arrested, said he was not scared to go to jail for trying to stop the elections. 

“Unleash all police officers, and we will meet toe-to-toe. For this democracy we will defend it. We want to vote, failure to do that, there won’t [be] an election.

“You want to see who the instigator is then you arrest Bonginkosi Khanyile as usual and deny me bail and maybe take four or five of our comrades and you brand us as instigators, that is OK. In five years, we come out, but Zuma is going to be on the ballot.” 

After making these threats, Khanyile said the party was “not calling for war”. 

Khanyile’s remarks are the latest of MK Party leaders’ threats to stop the May 29 elections. Last week, the party’s Visvin Reddy was in the spotlight.

In a viral video, Reddy said: “We are sending a loud and clear message that if these courts, which are sometimes captured, try to stop the MK there will be anarchy in this country. There will be riots that have never been seen in this country. There will be no election. No South African will go to the polls if MK is not on the ballot.”

President Cyril Ramaphosa, speaking on the matter, said: “I want to make it clear that to anyone who is threatening any form of unrest, they will be followed up and arrested. Those are people who belong in jail.” 

The electoral code of conduct prohibits politicians from inciting violence or:

• using language that provokes violence; 

• intimidating candidates or voters; 

• plagiarising any other party's symbols, names or acronyms; 

• carrying arms or weapons at political meetings, marches or rallies; and 

• generally abusing a position of power, privilege or influence to influence the outcome of an election. 

Here are some reactions from social media on threats made by MK Party leaders: 

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