‘They knew they were temporary’: MK Party slams MPs after they lose their appeal against expulsion

MK Party (MKP) spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela has criticised 10 expelled MPs for going public and legally challenging the decision for their removal from the party, saying they knew they were “temporary” MPs.

The Western Cape High Court on Monday dismissed the application by the expelled members fighting their expulsion. They argued their expulsion was not communicated to them by the party and that they found out about their “resignations”, which they denied, from parliament.

“It's disingenuous of them to have made such remarks in the beginning. They misled the public. We would do nothing of that nature. We allowed them [into the party], and they knew very well it was going to be a temporary measure to occupy the role of MPs. So why would we, at the last minute, be punitive? We were not,” Ndhlela said in an interview with Newzroom Afrika.

He was adamant the MPs knew they were merely warming seats for other party members. The new party has been experiencing leadership troubles for months, with several members fired from positions and expelled. 

Ndhlela said the expelled members should have consulted with the party leadership.

“These are members who are ill-disciplined. The reality is they need to have consulted and engaged with the leadership and humbled themselves, instead of going public and making a total spectacle of themselves and unnecessarily putting the party into disrepute. We are not going to tolerate any of that from any members and anyone who takes us to court,” Ndhlela said.

“It's not something they didn't know. We've engaged with these comrades, and they knew exactly what was coming. For them to have acted the way they did was totally out of tune with the principles and disciplines of the party.”

He accused the members of being opportunistic and not being in the party for the purpose of serving communities. 

“This is a selfless role. You can't, when you're deployed as a volunteer, all of a sudden think you're an employee. No-one is an employee. For them to have this sense of entitlement, thinking they are more special, does not work this way in our party. That's not how we work.

“We need to focus on what we are here for. There are people with serious problems and serious challenges out there, and they've entrusted us, as the official opposition, as MKP, to deal with their issues. These side shows are nothing but exactly that: side shows that don't deserve the court to have a look at them.”

Ndhlela said the party will look into the future of the expelled members based on their approach going forward.

“If they do approach us, we'll see what the merits of their engagement are. But they are expelled members who have brought the party into this dispute and who should have thought about whatever approach they want to take.”

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