Jabulani Khumalo is MK Party’s No 1 MP on parliament list handed to Zondo

The founder of the MK Party (MKP), Jabulani Khumalo, has taken over Jacob Zuma’s first spot on the party’s parliament list, which was handed over to chief justice Raymond Zondo on Thursday. 

Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) chairperson Mosotho Moepya handed over the parliamentary candidate list to Zondo for the upcoming swearing-in of MPs by the justice department.

Khumalo, who has initiated a legal battle to be reinstated as MKP president, took Zuma’s spot on the list as the former president was disqualified to stand for parliament by the Constitutional Court because of his criminal conviction. 

In 2021 Zuma was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment by the ConCourt for contempt of court. The constitution prohibits anyone sentenced to more than 12 months' imprisonment without the option of a fine from becoming an MP.

This week Khumalo appeared before the Electoral Court sitting in Johannesburg high court fighting to be reinstated as MKP party president. 

His attorney Mfesane Ka-Siboto told the court MKP member Duduzile Zuma-Sambadla allegedly wrote Khumalo's resignation letter and sent it to IEC without his knowledge and allegedly faked his signature.

Though Khumalo was ousted by the party in April, he remained on the party's parliament candidate list.

Bishop-turned-politician Sophonia Tsekedi comes after Khumalo on the MKP list. 

Former MKP members Lebo Moepeng and Rochelle Davidson who were expelled with Khumalo remain on the list. Khumalo and other MKP members were axed from party after the IEC's cut-off date for the finalisation of the candidate list on April 10.

TimesLIVE