As the MK Party continues to unravel, former president Jacob Zuma's private secretary has joined the chorus after a public spat, writing a scathing letter against the party leader's daughter, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, and party secretary-general Floyd Shivambu.
In the letter dated February 11, Isaac Leshona took aim at Zuma-Sambudla and Shivambu, pointing at deficiencies possessed by both MK Party leaders.
The letter came a day after Zuma-Sambudla tore into Shivambu using profanity while claiming he was the “worst thing to happen to the party”.
Leshona, who replaced Zuma-Sambudla as Zuma's private secretary shortly before she was sworn in as a MP, said her sympathisers should know she is the last person to call anybody incompetent.
“Duduzile herself is the hallmark and undisputed champion of organisational and political incompetence. She is a cause of many of the problems that besiege our beloved movement. I say this with authority, having inherited the office of private secretary to the president of MKP, comrade Jacob Zuma, from her. Though the SG [Shivambu] can be justifiably accused of misdemeanours such as arrogance and failure to familiarise himself with the organisational culture and dynamics when he started, Duduzile is the last person to speak about incompetence,” he said.
This comes after TimesLIVE Premium reported Shivambu has found himself up against national chair Nathi Nhleko and deputy president Dr John Hlophe.
Insiders claimed that factions are forming within former president Jacob Zuma's inner circle, with some in favour of Shivambu, while others, including some within his family, wary of him.
“There are some of us who feel that he is a turncoat, and he could easily betray us for something better. That, to me, is immaterial because we all have left something,” one insider said.
“Another issue is that he does not identify with the branches. As the secretary-general you need to be in touch with the branches and you need to be approachable; he can't do that. He can't even respond to calls from branches. That is not how we work. Maybe it worked in the EFF, but here we need people who understand the importance of branches.”
MK Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela denied Leshona was still under the employ of Zuma, saying he had left the office. He, however, could not say whether Leshona was a member of the MK Party.
“Ask him where the president is right now. Ask him simple things,” Ndhlela said.
Duduzile is a master of plotting, slander and gossip. She has derailed and possibly destroyed many political careers.
— Isaac Leshona
Leshona, however, told TimesLIVE Premium that he was still under the employ of Zuma.
“I have not resigned, neither have I been fired. At least not to my knowledge,” Leshona said.
Leshona said the party was yet to hear Zuma-Sambudla's contributions to the policy-making agenda.
“When I was appointed private secretary, there wasn’t even a single physical document of correspondence, minutes of meetings, schedule of appointments or anything whatsoever. Nxamalala [Zuma] himself would half-jokingly say that it’s the first time he saw a political party that was operating through WhatsApp.
“Duduzile and the SG at that time, comrade Gorbachev [Thanduxolo Dyodo], are mainly responsible for the infiltration of non-MKP members on to the national parliament and provincial lists. The party continues to lose court cases because of their sheer laziness and incompetence, having failed to compile and/or audit the lists.”
He accused Zuma-Sambudla of adding friends and relatives to the parliamentary list while removing adversaries.
It was painful to see many qualified and hardworking cadres across the country being overlooked, he said.
He said the lacklustre performance of MKP in parliament can be “directly traced to the recklessness of these gatekeepers”.
TimesLIVE Premium previously reported how 10 disgruntled MK Party members resorted to a legal battle against the party suing for compensation after they were removed from parliament.
The 10 were among 18 MK Party MPs whose positions in parliament were terminated by the party to make way for some of its more prominent members in August.
The MK Party won 48 seats in the National Assembly having taken 12.3% of the electoral share in last year's elections. The 10 were some of the first MK Party members sworn in to parliament on June 22. Soon after they were removed, former heads of state-owned entities Brian Molefe, Lucky Montana and Siyabonga Gama were sworn in as MPs.
In a high court application to have MK Party funds frozen, the disgruntled members argued this was a matter of urgency. The MK 10 argued they resigned from gainful employment to represent the party in the National Assembly, staying in parliamentary accommodation and earning R102,000.
The 10 members added they were breadwinners supporting dependents who included minors.
“Duduzile is a master of plotting, slander and gossip. She has derailed and possibly destroyed many political careers. A very divisive figure, she meddled with structures in regions and provinces, removing those she disliked and inserting friends.
“She is able to operate in this manner because she has a cabal of friends and cheerleaders who surround her, all with selfish interests. We know that her only gripe with Shivambu revolves around MKP money. They forget that these monies will be accounted for, failing which the party may face deregistration.”
He also took on Shivambu, saying he preferred the limelight of press conferences and sitting at the top table at events, stating that he would be the cause of his own downfall.
“Many comrades across the country are unhappy with his attitude as they see it as foreign to the foundational ethos and culture of MKP. We respect all, but don’t have a celebrity in the revolution.”
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