Jacob Zuma Cracks Down on Internal Corruption: Disbands Task Team and Axes Top Officials Over Candidate List Fraud
In a major internal shake-up, uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) leader Jacob Zuma has ordered an immediate forensic probe into grave allegations of candidate list manipulation and summarily dissolved the party’s Presidential Task Team.
The sweeping changes, announced on 9 September 2026, come amid growing internal outrage over the alleged removal of legitimately nominated local council candidates from lists submitted to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
According to the party’s leadership, corrupt actors within the organization allegedly replaced the names of deserving candidates with unauthorized alternatives.
As the first casualties of the widening scandal, Zuma axed senior party representatives Zandile Hlophe-Mkhwanazi and Sibonelo Maphumulo from the National Party Liaison Committee (NPLC) with immediate effect.
In a strongly-worded press release issued by the Office of the President, the party stated that these fraudulent activities strike “at the very heart of the integrity of our organisation and the democratic will of our structures.”
The MK Party leadership confirmed that the newly launched internal investigation intends to identify every individual involved in the manipulation scheme to hold them legally and organizationally accountable.
“There is no place for manipulation, political gatekeeping, or the abuse of organisational processes,” the statement read, while concurrently praising ordinary party members who risked blowback to blow the whistle on the irregular selection adjustments.
These decisions are taken in the interests of safeguarding the integrity of the organisation’s processes and protecting the interests of our members, candidates and voters.
Zuma also hereby announces that Apostle Mxolisi Phakathi is the new Mayoral Candidate of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality.
The President and the National Officials congratulate Phakathi on his designation as the Mayoral Candidate of eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality and wish him strength and success in carrying out this important responsibility.
The Party apologises to their business centres and affected structures for the uncertainty and disruption arising from these developments.
Zuma calls upon all members and structures to put these challenges behind them , unite behind their candidates and rally behind their councillor and mayoral candidates towards a decisive victory in the Local Government Elections on 4 November 2026.
