WATCH | ‘It’s personal’: Mapaila backs calls for continued fight against Zuma’s use of MK name

South African Communist Party (SACP) general secretary Solly Mapaila supports sentiments for the ANC to continue its fight to have the MK Party (MKP) deregistered.

He said former president Jacob Zuma's party using the name, which was associated with the disbanded ANC military wing, undermines the historical significance of uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK).

In an interview with Newzroom Afrika, Mapaila said the matter was “personal” for him and those who fought against the apartheid government.

“It's personal. It is personal to many other MK combatants, including those who died in the battle against the enemy under the banner of uMkhonto we Sizwe. Now this is associated with a political party.

“uMkhonto we Sizwe was for the liberation of our people. We took an oath to fight for the people of this country. I have no identity because the identity has been appropriated by a counter-revolutionary offensive for personal interest.”

If alerted, Mapaila said the SACP would have taken action to prevent Zuma registering his party under the MK name.

He expressed satisfaction with Zuma's expulsion from the ANC earlier this week for forming the MKP last year and violating the organisation's constitution. 

“That's an important moment for the ANC to begin to cleanse itself. We called for decisiveness on this matter earlier this year because we felt what he did was completely unacceptable from any angle.

“No matter what issues he had, he couldn't have gone on to engineer a new party to contest the ANC in the political terrain when he knew very well he needed to have arranged the consolidation of the ANC.

“It's something that was long overdue. We're not surprised. We have called for it, and we are pleased the ANC was decisive.”

ANC veteran Mavuso Msimang has also expressed his disapproval of the name, urging the party to reclaim it.

“There must be a process of making sure, through litigation, to reclaim the name. How do you mention [impeached judge turned MKP MP] John Hlophe in the same sentence as Chris Hani [late MK chief of staff and SACP general secretary]? This is a problem that needs to be addressed for the sake of our current generation and, most importantly, for the generation of the future,” Msimang said during an interview with Newzroom Afrika.

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