Durban — Former president Jacob Zuma and his uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) have suffered a significant blow as three major traditional leadership bodies have withdrawn their support, accusing the party of eroding dignity and disregarding royal authority.
This week, Injeje yabeNguni, the iMpuma Kapa Royal Kingdoms, and the Transvaal Kingdom of Monarchs announced their immediate split from the MKP, marking a sharp turn in what had been a growing alliance between Zuma’s party and cultural leaders.
Walkout After Nkandla Meeting Snub
Injeje yabeNguni said its decision followed a tense visit to Zuma’s KwaDakwadunuse homestead in Nkandla last week. Traditional leaders from across the country left without an audience with Zuma, claiming the MKP had “deliberately and systematically disregarded” their authority.
The organisation warned that remaining aligned with the MKP would risk “the erosion of dignity and the diminishing of forefathers’ thrones.”
Royal Kingdoms from Eastern Cape and Gauteng Also Withdraw
The iMpuma Kapa Royal Kingdoms, which represents Eastern Cape-based monarchs, accused the MKP of undermining traditional leaders and urged all royal houses to withdraw from party politics altogether.
The Transvaal Kingdom of Monarchs echoed these concerns, saying the treatment they received from the MKP was a “harbinger of what we can expect” should the party take over local jurisdictions after the 2026 local government elections.
The three organisations plan to hold a joint press conference on 1 September to formally outline their reasons for cutting ties.
Push for a Royal Secretary-General Fails
Behind the scenes, some traditional leaders had been lobbying Zuma to appoint a secretary-general from a royal family, arguing that it would ensure better respect for cultural protocols.
Led by Prince Khulekani Dlomo of the Makhabeleni Traditional Council, the delegation claimed that such an appointment could have prevented the Nkandla incident.
However, on Friday, the MKP appointed Dr. Bongani Mncwango as its new secretary-general and Nomsa Dlamini as his deputy — neither from royal ranks.
MKP Defiant, Strengthens Links with Contralesa
Despite the defections, the MKP says it remains committed to working with traditional leaders. National chairperson Nathi Nhleko revealed that the party recently met with Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa) deputy president Kgosi Nyalala Pilane and secretary-general Zolani Mkiva to discuss the marginalisation of traditional governance systems.
“Our political system must reflect our identity, not borrowed laws from colonial masters,” Nhleko said.
Zuma himself described the MKP as the “last hope of the African child, the worker, the traditional leader, and the forgotten majority.”
