Durban — Jabulani Khumalo, the expelled founder of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party, has lashed out at Jacob Zuma’s daughter Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, saying she is the “rotten potato” in the party and stoking fractious infighting.
In a wide-ranging interview with a local community radio station, Izwi Lomzansi FM on Monday, Khumalo said Duduzile pitted him against Zuma using “lies”.
“That girl (Duduzile) is a liar. She lied to Nxamalala (Zuma) that I did not want him to be the party’s face for the elections,” said Khumalo.
Last month, the MK party dramatically expelled Khumalo, the man who founded the party, along with Rochelle Davidson, Ray Khumalo, Bheki Manzini and Lebo Moepeng.
Despite his expulsion, Khumalo insisted that he is still the leader of the party.
Instead, he fired a jab at Duduzile, who is on the party’s list for a National Assembly candidate.
“She (Duduzile) went to Nxamalala and convinced him that I should be removed. Unfortunately, he doesn’t question anything his daughter tells him,” Khumalo said.
While the party has been plagued by internal factional quarrels, Khumalo said it was not doom and gloom.
“The only person crippling the party is Duduzile. She is running the show and eliminating anyone who dares to challenge her.”
Khumalo said he did not know how Duduzile amassed so much power in the party he had formed and registered in September, last year.
“I raised the issue with Nxamalala of his daughter having so much power in the party. He said he’ll fix this, but he did not.”
As he found himself in the political wilderness, Khumalo vowed to fight to reclaim his party from the “claws of the Zumas”.
“This party belongs to the people and not the Zumas. I formed this party for the people. I will continue to fight to return it to the people.”
The party received a major boost after Zuma was endorsed on December 16, last year. The party filled Orlando Stadium on Saturday during its last rally ahead of the elections set for May 29.
Zuma reiterated his calls that the party was gunning for a two-thirds’ majority at the polls.
If Zuma had his way, this would allow the new kid on the block to change laws in the country without the backing of other parties in the National Assembly.
This is a rare privilege once enjoyed by the ANC after bagging 69.7% during the 2004 general elections.
Attempts to get comment from Duduzile were unsuccessful as her phone went to voicemail. She also did not respond to messages sent to her at the time of publication.
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Daily News