Shortly after it emerged that former President Jacob Zuma had taken control of the funds of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), it now seems that he has also taken over the party’s organisational mechanisms. This is contained in a letter signed by him and dated 24 July.

MKP Secretary-General Sibonelo Nomvalo, the eighth the party has had since its formation in late 2023, has been stripped of his powers. The secretary-general’s office would henceforth be located in Zuma’s office, which was intended to produce “tighter organisational coherence, disciplined administration, and a unified strategic direction”.

In addition, MKP’s Presidential Task Team – a body established by Zuma in February to assist him with his responsibilities, and which included his son Duduzane – was abolished and replaced with a new Special Presidential Team (SPT). It would be funded solely from a discretionary fund in Zuma’s office. Duduzane Zuma has not been included on the new structure.

The SPT would be responsible for coordinating organisational matters across the entire party, for disciplinary processes, for monitoring election machinery (although the party has not had internal elections yet), for vetting party operatives, and would have the final say on candidates’ lists.

The SPT would ensure that conflicts of interest are avoided, and that ethical standards are upheld.

Security for MKP personnel would be handled by Zuma’s office. “All national officials will be provided with close protection and drivers by military veterans who are specialists in that field,” Zuma wrote.

Zuma also announced a “constitution review process” to assess the state of the party.

There was furthermore a moratorium placed on communications from the party, with all engagements with the media to be vetted by the SPT.

In related developments, Jabulani Khumalo, the man who founded MKP but was later forced out, has said that Zuma had taken charge of the party’s finances in order to loot it. Khumalo said that Zuma had agreed to support the party while remaining a member of the African National Congress but had taken control of it as he saw it gaining traction. It was likely that his present goal was to extract money and then collapse the party, Khumalo said.