It’s Zuma’s ideology, says Hlophe on establishing MK Party constitution

uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) Party deputy president Dr John Hlophe has admitted that its constitution has been crafted around former president Jacob Zuma.

In an interview with TimesLIVE Premium, Hlophe said his party hoped the newly founded constitution would help them weed out rogue elements who joined the party with the intention of destroying it.

“The constitution is now going to make it very easy for us to discipline members. Part of the problem [was] that we had no constitution [when] you discipline someone. Someone is being recalled by the president, they run to the courts, and the courts will say there is no constitution, so how did you do it? Now, the procedure is there in the constitution, even the procedure on how to appeal against the decision to be recalled is clearly laid down.”

“So despite the long journey, it was not difficult because we had a common vision. Under the leadership of Zuma, it became easy because he is the person behind the party in terms of setting the standard and providing ideology.”

The party constitution was launched almost a year after its formation and adopted at a national high command meeting recently.

National organiser Floyd Shivambu also revealed that the constitution allows for dual political party membership. This as Zuma had recently been expelled from the ANC after a battle to retain his membership while running a new political party. 

Shivambu said the constitution now allows for this provision, under “strategic circumstances”.

“The case and the situation of our president and commander-general is a strategic one, and it is allowed as per the constitution. It is not just tailor-made for him, there are instances where we are going to allow members to be members of other political parties,” he said.

Shivambu said councillors who hold minority seats in municipalities belonging to small parties who have been recruited to join the MK Party would also be allowed to hold dual memberships to help retain their positions in council.

Meanwhile, Hlophe described the crafting of the party constitution as 'easy but long'. He said the party had attracted elements from the ANC, with others coming with a specific agenda to take over the party. 

“So we’ve had to tread very carefully and get our priorities right. But the deliberation on the constitution ... was a long journey, but by no means troubled or difficult. It was not difficult to convince each other on the way to go.”

He added the constitution gave the party character and defined it as MK. While the top leadership of the party comes from the ANC, Hlophe said there are huge differences in their constitutions.