Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla on MK Party: 'My father is the head and I am the neck'

With Jabulani Khumalo ousted as Jacob Zuma’s second-in-command in the MK Party, attention is being focused on his daughter Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla to see whether she will fill the vacant top position amid the party's leadership troubles.

Zuma-Sambudla has been her father’s right-hand person since he jumped ship from the ANC to join the MK Party in December. Some people believe Zuma has been grooming her for a top position after Khumalo, who registered the party, was expelled along with Ray Khumalo, Bheki Manzini, Lebo Moepeng and Rochelle Davidson last week.

Zuma-Sambudla describes herself as her father’s support system in the MK Party. 

“My father is the head and I am the neck. I sit in the national core [executive committee] and vote with other comrades in the decision-making process,” she said, speaking on a YouTube podcast, The Shady PHodcast, on Wednesday.

She dismissed suggestions her father planned to appoint her as his deputy. 

“I have not been called to deputise my father. I would not say my dad is grooming me to take over. But he shares knowledge with me, teaches me how to be patient and not move too fast.” 

Though No.18 on the party’s parliamentary candidate list, she has no ambitions of becoming an MP. 

“I love working behind the scenes. I do not see myself in parliament doing ‘point of order’ . I have better things to do. I am on the list, reluctantly.” 

The mother of two said she had no regrets giving up being a stay-at-home mom to focus on the MK Party's election campaign.

Speaking about defending her father from criticism on social media, she said: “I took a decision to protect my father and I call myself his pit-bull. I do the things he cannot do, he must remain presidential. My dad has gone through attacks for so many years and no one has ever protected him. I call myself his last line of defence.” 

Zuma-Sambudla believes South Africa is not ready for a female president. Her ideal female presidential candidate would be Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. 

“I do not think South Africa is ready for a female president. When you look at the calibre [of candidates] I do not think so. The only person I can look at is mama Nkosazana but she is resigning. It is still a man's world. Politics is crazy, I sometimes find myself [fighting for recognition] being the only woman in a political space sometimes.” 

In the past weeks there have been leadership troubles in the newly formed party. The party founder, Khumalo, was expelled a few weeks after Bonginkosi Khanyile was removed as the party's interim youth leader, with interim deputy leader Thapelo Maisha, and Philani Gazuzu Nduli was removed from the position of Gauteng co-ordinator of the youth league.

Weeks before Khanyile's removal he slammed party members who wanted Khumalo to be elected party president, instead of Zuma.

“Some people are saying we will be led by Khumalo because Msholozi [Zuma] is too old. We will not allow that in MK [Party]. Zuma is perceived as old after he worked hard for the party which is now solid. We will not allow that. I say Khumalo will never lead this organisation while Msholozi is about.”

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