The leader of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, Jacob Zuma. Picture: Itumeleng English, Independent Newspapers
THE UMKHONTO weSizwe (MK) Party has left some of its critics in awe as it demonstrated its ability to fill a 40,000-person stadium in Orlando at the weekend.
According to MK Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela, the five-month-old party achieved this feat in spite of being “sabotaged” by people who fear the gigantic growth of the movement.
“We were expecting about 25 buses in Newcastle but only four arrived. In the North West, we had a similar situation. We are happy with the turnout, even though a considerable number of our members were deprived of the opportunity to come listen to president Jacob Zuma live at the stadium,” Ndhlela said.
Musa Mdlalose, from Chersteville in KwaZulu-Natal, said that some party members in their ward were left behind as the buses they were expecting did not arrive, and in the end only five buses made their way to Orlando.
“These are scare tactics of the party of KwaGoGo (ANC). They are realising that they are going to lose the province, now they are sabotaging us.
“We are able to fill up stadiums on our own, we are not being bribed by KFCs, no free T-shirts and no state money or vehicles to assist,” added Mdlalose.
KZN ANC spokesperson Mafika Mndebele dismissed the allegation, saying that the governing party did not have time for a “regional organisation”.
“Imagine us involving ourselves in the affairs of the region party. As the ANC, we are focusing on our campaign trail, we don’t have time to speak or think about other political parties.
“Our campaign is visible, we are everywhere and we are confident that we are going to win back the province with overwhelming numbers,” Mndebele added.
While addressing the party manifesto rally on Saturday, MKP leader Jacob Zuma expressed his concerns that members of the Zulu Regiment had experienced hiccups on their way to Johannesburg.
Zuma said he was extremely happy that he was seeing them at the rally after their challenges.
“I heard that many of our people could not make it to the event due to sabotage. I’m also told that members of the regiment were given problems on the road, but I am, however, happy to see them being part of us,” he said.
The party took its manifesto launch to Soweto due to the township’s political symbolic importance of playing a crucial role in the Struggle against the apartheid regime.
The ANC is threatened with losing KZN and Gauteng, with opposition parties firing on all cylinders in their quest to oust the ruling party in the upcoming elections.