Jacob Zuma Takes Control of MK Party Finances Amid Evictions, Rent Arrears and Internal Crisis
Former President Jacob Zuma has moved to take direct control of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party’s finances in a dramatic intervention that comes as the organisation battles unpaid rent, office evictions and mounting questions over its financial management.
The decision marks one of the most significant shifts in the party’s internal administration since its formation. It also arrives at a time when the MK Party is facing growing pressure over its financial stability and governance.
According to an official notice, Zuma has revoked the signing powers of all individuals who were previously authorised to operate the party’s bank accounts with immediate effect.
The directive states that no existing signatory may authorise or process transactions on behalf of the party until a new banking mandate has been formally communicated.
“I hereby give notice that all existing signing authority on the MK Party’s bank accounts is revoked with immediate effect. During this period, no existing signatory shall exercise any signing authority on behalf of the Party in respect of any MK Party bank account.
“All financial institutions where the party maintains banking facilities are to recognise this temporary suspension of signing authority. Any transactions requiring authorised signatories shall be processed only once the new mandate has been communicated. All officials are requested to cooperate fully with this administrative process to ensure continuity, transparency, and the integrity of the Party’s financial management.”
The move effectively places financial decision making under tighter control and is expected to reshape how the party manages its banking operations in the coming weeks.
The intervention follows a series of reports revealing that the MK Party has become embroiled in disputes with landlords across several provinces over unpaid and overdue rent.
The financial difficulties have reportedly disrupted the party’s day to day operations, forcing office closures, triggering lockouts and resulting in legal eviction notices. The alleged non payment of rent has also intensified internal tensions, with reports of salary delays and growing frustration among party staff.
In Durban, the party’s provincial offices at the Victoria Marine Building in KwaZulu-Natal were reportedly locked by the landlord using chains and padlocks after rental payments allegedly fell into arrears.
Staff members were instructed to collect their belongings and vacate the premises, in what sources described as a deeply embarrassing moment for the organisation.
The problems have not been confined to KwaZulu-Natal.
In Polokwane, the landlord of the Albatross Centre, which has been used as the party’s Limpopo constituency headquarters, reportedly terminated the lease after repeated allegations of late rental payments. The party was instructed to vacate the property.
The challenges have also extended to Gauteng.
In Johannesburg, prospective landlords for the party’s proposed national headquarters reportedly withdrew a lease agreement after receiving advice from bankers against leasing property to the MK Party.
The financial strain has now spilled into Parliament, where reports indicate that some MK Party Members of Parliament have demanded a forensic investigation into the handling of parliamentary funds.
The MPs are reportedly seeking answers over money allocated for constituency offices, alleging that portions of those funds cannot be fully accounted for.
Zuma’s decision to suspend all existing banking signatories is likely to intensify scrutiny of the party’s finances as it attempts to restore administrative control while navigating growing internal and external pressure.
With offices shuttered, leases cancelled and financial questions continuing to mount, the MK Party now faces one of the most challenging periods in its short political history. How the party responds to these financial and governance concerns could shape both its internal stability and its public standing in the months ahead.
